Old and Pure Magic
by Emeraldarcher21
Summary: Gently, Voldemort placed his wand's tip on her arm. Her heart beat fast within her ears. He whispered to his wand, and pain immediately coursed through her arm. She gritted her teeth. Slowly, he pulled it down the length of her elbow to her wrist. A swollen, red mark greeted her eyes as he pulled away from her. "Yes, we have much to discuss."
1. Chapter 1

Rhya Farren woke with a throbbing headache. The room was rather dark, or maybe her eyes weren't quite all the way open. It was hot as well. Burning hot. She began to focus, and she jolted from the surprise.

She was chained.

She pulled against her restraints, but the chains merely clinked against the chair. She grunted. Her head throbbed even more.

She considered yelling for help, but didn't. She jerked her hands again, but nothing happened. She saw a lock, and hope swam through her.

_Alomohora._

Nothing.

"Alomohora!"

Nothing.

She slouched against the chair. _Why do we HAVE to have wands to do anything?_

"Not working?" Came a voice.

Rhya looked to the shadows and saw a faint outline. She squinted. She knew that voice. From the shadows, a Death Eater materialized. He wore a mask, but Rhya was sure of who it was.

"Oh, don't mind me." Came Lucius' voice as he removed the mask. "It's quite amusing watching you try to escape."

"Kidnapping teenagers is what Voldemort likes to do now?" She smirked. "I think he's just desperate."

"For what?"

"More power. But how weak it makes him appear that he has to attack, and possibly kill, a young girl."

"Good. You already know your fate, but I'm sure if you're cooperative, he will allow you to live."

"Only if I choose to be a Death Eater, I'm assuming."

"How intelligent you are." He smiled.

"Who would want to follow someone so weak?"

His eyes flashed darkness. "Weak?" He stepped closer to her, towered over her. "You better watch your tongue."

"Or what? You'll cut it out?"

In a flash, his wand was in his hand and pointed at her jaw.

"Lucius!" Came a low hiss. Rhya watched as his dark eyes turned to fear. He let go of her neck and backed away.

"My lord."

"Do not fall for her tricks." Her expression changed to surprise. "She wanted you to cut out her tongue, because she fears what all secrets she will tell me, in the end." He smiled to her.

She stared at him. His eyes seemed terribly inhuman.

"Please forgive me, my lord." Lucius backed to the wall.

"The renowned Rhya Farren, here in my dungeon of torture. What an honor to have such a gifted witch among us."

_Renowned? _She thought. She never considered Voldemort the complimenting type. He took out his wand and stood over her. Gently, he placed his wand's tip on her arm.

Her heart beat fast within her ears. He whispered to his wand, and pain immediately coursed through her arm. She grunted. Slowly, he pulled it down the length of her elbow to her wrist. A swollen, red mark greeted her eyes as he pulled away from her.

"Yes, we have much to discuss."

She stared up to him, feeling rather small. She was the prisoner to Voldemort and his Death Eaters…

"Now, Rhya, if you answer my simple question, I will remove the chains. Fair enough?"

She didn't respond.

He paused awaiting a reply he would never receive. He merely smiled. "Tell me about Old Magic. Or do you call it Pure Magic? Whichever, I wish to learn about it."

She didn't answer.

He sighed. "Let's try this again." He whisked his wand in the air, stated something inaudible, and Rhya immediately saw a red mark on her other arm, and release a scream from the pain. Voldemort moved his wand, and the mark followed the stroke.

"Tell me what you know about Pure Magic."

He stopped with the curse, and she tightly gripped the arm of her chair. Her breathing was heavy now.

He paused, but she gave no answer. "Nagini."

The large snake slithered into the room, and fear ate at Rhya's heart. She could handle werewolves and dragons, but snakes- no. She couldn't stand their curved fangs, and how they bite into their victims.

"One bite from Nagini, and you'd be dead within minutes. I have the antidote for her poison, but only if you tell me what I want to know."

Rhya didn't dare look away from the snake. It came closer to her. She attempted to move her legs out of reach, but they were also chained tightly to the chair.

Nagini struck.

The fangs sunk into Rhya's calf. She closed her eyes and waited for the agonizing pain.

The snake pulled away. She opened her eyes, and glanced from the snake to Voldemort. Seconds passed, and she didn't feel any pain. A solid minute passed.

Voldemort shifted slightly with a puzzled look. "You're immune?" She glared at him completely as puzzled as he. "How did you get your immunity?"

She had no words.


	2. Chapter 2

Warmly dressed from the cold wind, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked along the dirt road of Hogsmeade. The other Hogwarts students were inside the cozy warmth of the stores and cottages. The three friends had worries that even the cold weather didn't push out of their minds.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Harry asked as he stared at the ground. "Surely, there just _has_ to be something."

"Dumbledore told us not to interfere." Hermione commented, but her tone betrayed her. She felt the same as Harry.

"But she's our friend." Stated Ron. "She never said much, the quite type really, but still…"

"It was nice having her around." Hermione continued.

The two boys nodded.

"It's not just the Order that's worried about her." Came Harry. "But everyone from Hogwarts has noticed. Even Umbridge. She keeps pestering me about how I know exactly where she is."

"She infuriates me." Responded Hermione.

"She infuriates all of us." Ron corrected.

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_Come on._ Rhya told herself.

Blood trickled down her spine and various other wounds all over her body. Her dark red hair was unkempt and wild. Scratches and blood marks covered her face, along with a swollen area around her left eye. Arms exposed, red marks lied upon them.

_Concentrate_. She inhaled, then exhaled.

"Pagos," she whispered. Her heart stopped when she saw a white and blue sharp crystal poke out of the ground. Sweat dripped down her brow. "Pagos!"

There was an ear piercing shatter from the ice contacting with the iron chains. At just the right angle, the ice spiked straight through the chains, unlinking them.

She jolted from the chair, only to fall to the ground. She grunted and gripped her stomach from the coursing pain of dormancy.

Staggering, she found her footing and stood up straight… ish.

She reached out her hand and rested it against the wall for support. Her breathing was quick and raspy and she slowly made her way out of the room.

She wished she could apparate, but that wasn't possible here. Voldemort made sure of it. She would have to make it all the way out of the building.

"She's escaping!" Came a shout form behind her in the hallway.

She cursed under her breath.

She put her right hand out in front of her. "Fotia!" Fire wisped around her and attacked the Death Eater. Whether he defended himself or burned, Rhya didn't know. She hurried around the corner hoping to find an easy way out.

Only, she was greeted by another Death Eater.

"Pagos!" She slashed her left arm upward and ice sprouted from the floor. It pierced the man through the heart as Rhya rushed past him. Paying no attention to her injuries, she broke into a run and stumbled many times, but never fell.

She made it to the main entrance hall and saw giant doors.

"Finally." She whispered and ran toward her freedom.

Five Death Eaters burst from doors near her and attempted to grab her. "Gi!" She yelled and rock from the earth sprung forth and barricaded them.

She heard one yell out the Imperius Curse. Something inside of her told her to stop and let them take care of her. Allow them to tend to her wounds.

_I have to apparate_. She kept telling herself. _Don't listen. Just apparate!_

She knew she wasn't allowed to apparate yet, but she tired anyway. And again. And again.

Pain suddenly filled her entire being. She stumbled and convulsed in spasms from the agony.

_Get up._ _Just get up!_

_But it's the Cruciatus Curse… I can't._

"We've got her." She heard a laugh.

The laugh slowly died. Rhya was getting off the ground. The man yelled, "Crucio!" She toppled over slightly to her side, but caught herself. Blood poured out of her mouth.

"STOP HER." The same man told the other Death Eaters, who stood bemused.

"Apparate." Rhya stated to herself.

She hobbled forward several feet and tried again. She felt him try to Pain Curse again. Crimson seeped out of the corner of her mouth, but she kept going.

"Here." She stated calmly with a smile appearing on her face. Something tugged at her loose and mottled shirt.

She didn't care. She apparated.

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A noise in the trees caught Hermione's attention. She glanced, but didn't see anything.

"Something wrong?" Ron asked.

"Thought I saw a fox." She stated sadly.

"You really sound desperate, you know?"

"Yeah." She looked away and stood beside the boys.

Harry and Ron's eyes widened as Hermione stared at them. "What?"

They pointed behind her. She turned around to find a limping fox. Water filled her eyes as she dropped to her knees to examine the creature. The fox didn't run or act scared. Instead, it collapsed on the ground once Hermione touched its face.

Ron was behind her, "Do you think-"

"It's the same markings!" She yelped with glee. Harry kneeled and glanced around. Making sure no one was around, he wrapped the fox in his Invisibility Cloak. Carefully, he picked her up and hid his arm under his own cloak to not cause suspicion.

"You could use your broom." Ron stated.

"Umbridge has it under lock and key. We'll have to run back." He glanced to the other two. "Quickly."

They ran.

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"Professor!" Harry caught up to Dumbledore in the hallway with Ron and Hermione following closely behind. He bent over to catch his breath.

"Something the matter?" Harry straightened up, and just now noticed Snape beside Dumbledore. He hesitated. "Harry?"

"Uh," he averted back to the headmaster, "we found Rhya."

Something flashed in Dumbledore's eyes. "Where is she?"

Sneakily, Harry opened the Invisibility Cloak from within his own cloak enough to where Rhya was visible. Carefully, he pulled her out from his cloak.

Dumbledore reached out his hands, and Harry handed her over to him.

He studied the disheveled fur of the once beautiful fox. "My, my… what have you been through?"

No one answered.

Without another word, Dumbledore took off to the hospital wing. Snape and the three friends chased after him.

Snape followed closely in step with Dumbledore, stealing a few glances at Rhya's animangus.

"Poppy." Stated the old wizard. The wing was empty spare Madam Pomfrey. She waved her hand over for a bed in the back. Gently, Dumbledore laid her on the bed.

"Now, Poppy, I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone of this animangus' true identity."

"Gossip is not for their well being, Albus, so I do not care for it."

Dumbledore smiled to her, and whispered a spell. A low blue light glowed over the fox's small body and then Rhya was lying on the bed unconscious. Her disheveled fox form didn't do justice for what her natural body appeared like. Hair was mottled and matted. Shirt barely hanging on to her shoulders. Slashes in the material of her shirt and pants. Not to mention the various marks on her arms.

"Oh, my…" Poppy whispered from the sight. "I've never seen marks like these. I don't know if I can cure them completely." She admitted. She quietly walked away to retrieve some potions.

"Severus, please contact Sirius."

"What should I tell him?"

"Tell him," he paused as he stared at Rhya's closed eyes. "That we found his daughter."

"Yes, sir." Snape left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Rhya groggily opened her eyes. Everything was in a blur of shapes and shadows. Several figures stood in front of her, consumed in dark cloaks.

Her hand swished up as she jolted upward. The word _Aeras_ echoed through her mind, but didn't leave her lips. A rushing sound flew past her and knocked two figures against the wall. The wind made a window shatter and the pieces fell on the two.

She ripped the sheets off of her and bounded. Her vision came to her clearly now as an arm wrapped around her midsection to stop her.

"Let go!" She punched the Death Eater holding her back.

Only, it wasn't a Death Eater.

"Running away?" Snape slowly spoke. She locked eyes with him, and realization dawned on her.

She glanced around and saw familiar faces standing around the bed. She leaned against the bed, and Snape pulled away.

"Rhya, dear," Molly placed her hand on Rhya's forehead. After two seconds, seemed satisfied and hugged the girl. Rhya was taken aback from the suddenness of the hug, and slowly, but surely, wrapped her own arms around Mrs. Weasley.

"We were so worried about you."

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. See?" She pulled away and stared into the eyes of the closest thing she's had to a mother.

Water glistened in the eyes of the red haired woman.

Rhya's attention was drawn to a mirror across the room. She didn't see blood on her face, only the scratches. Her clothes were intact, but they were her pajamas. Sweat pants coupled with an oversized shirt and a jacket. She wrapped her jacket tightly around herself.

Her dark brown hair fell to her waist, naturally straight, but with slight volume. It was chopped unevenly, but in a cute sort of way.

She looked away.

"Oh sure. Mum cares more for you than us!" Fred yelled as he and George stood up from the fallen shards of glass.

"Oh boys, you're fine, you're fine." She walked over to them. Fred caught Rhya's eye, and he winked.

"Rhya," Hermione stepped toward her, "how did you- how did- the window?"

"Yes, we all have questions." Dumbledore stated from the entrance to the wing. Rhya sat down on the bed. A black dog licked her cheek and lied down next to her.

Dumbledore entered the room quietly, "If I may ask everyone to leave the room. Severus and Sirius, you two stay."

Molly hesitated, but she, Fred, and George followed in line out of the room. Next were Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Sirius, Poppy is out for her evening walk." He pulled a curtain to separate them from the rest of the room. "You will be fine in your human form."

He transformed. His hair was unkempt, and he had bags under his eyes.

"How are you doing?" Dumbledore asked.

"Fine."

"You didn't seem fine when we brought you here."

"Where were you?" Sirius said in a small voice. He stood up and looked her in the eyes. "Where have you been?"

She glanced to each of the men before landing back on her father. "Death Eaters."

Sirius straightened up and thought for a moment. He turned slowly and faced Snape. "_You_ said you didn't know where she was." His voice was low, dangerous. He pushed Snape backwards. "_You said_-" He gripped Snape's cloak near his neck.

Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Sirius."

"He didn't know." Rhya stated.

Sirius slowly released his hold on Snape. "Sorry." He murmured. Snape eyed him, but didn't say anything.

"Rhya," came Dumbledore, "what happened?"

"Voldemort. He was there."

"What did he do?" He asked gently. "Did he torture you for information about the Order?"

"At times, yes." She paused. "The other times, he asked about-" She looked down to her hand.

"He asked about the Old Magic?"

She nodded.

"Old Magic?" Sirius questioned. "As in the _purest_ form of magic? Why does he expect a fifteen year old to know about that? No one in our world remembers how to do Old Magic." He laughed. It turned into an awkward laugh when no one else joined in.

He ran his fingers through his hair. "You can't be serious? _Old Magic_, Rhya? How in the world did you even find out about it?"

"It doesn't matter. I know how, and that's that."

"But Old Magic? Out of all the blasted things to research. When did you even learn?"

"When you gave me Ralaan."

"_Then?_ You were eleven bloody years old!"

"And knowing it saved my life."

Sirius stepped closer to her and hugged her. "Right, right. I'm sorry… I've just- after twelve years, and I lose you again." He pulled away. "It just wasn't fair, you know?" He offered a small smile.

"Rhya, tell us what happened?" Came Dumbledore.

She hesitated. "Just… methods to get me to talk, sir."

"Voldemort's methods in the past have never been pleasant. Please, just tell us."

"Nagini was one of them."

"Nagini?" Sirius asked.

"The Dark Lord," stepped in Snape, "only uses Nagini for his _special_ cases. He carries a very minute antidote with him at all times."

"Are there… any natural antidotes?" She asked.

He studied her with hard eyes. "No."

"How are you certain?"

He paused. "Nagini's venom was cursed by Voldemort himself when he shared spirits with her. To make the antidote, Voldemort's blood is needed. So, obviously, no natural resistances."

She nodded slowly and allowed her gaze to fall to the ground.

"He requested some Veritaserum from me. That wouldn't have been for you, would it?"

She didn't meet his eyes.

"I hope our Occlumency lessons didn't go to waist."

"What do you mean?" Questioned Sirius. "Veritaserum, the truth potion, right?"

"As bright as ever, Black."

"Then… they know where the Order is located!" He jumped from the bed.

"No." A quiet voice stopped Sirius in his tracks. "They don't know anything."

"But… it's the truth potion. I thought-"

"Once again, Black, it reflects how much you pay attention." Snape paused, and there was a low growl, but he continued. "Veritaserum is useful in some situations, but have you ever wondered why the Council doesn't use it for court?"

"Inhumane, or something like that?"

"No. It is similar to what Muggles use – the polygraph, I believe."

"Poly-what?"

Snape glared at the unkempt man for interrupting him. "It is only as reliable as the human it was given to. But there is an antidote, rare and difficult to create. But, there is also Occlumency."

Sirius turned back to Rhya. "So… they don't know anything?"

She shook her head.

"How in the-" He paced behind Snape and Dumbledore. "A teenage girl – my own daughter – lasted that long."

She glanced over to the foot of the bed. There were several different boxes of sweets. She noticed five notebooks, and four regular, Muggle books.

"Looks like Hermione took some notes for you in your classes." Dumbledore stood in front of the pile of gifts. "Harry and Ron took liberty of Harry's money with some special sweets, I see." He smiled and picked up the four books.

Feeling weak with a pounding headache, she lied down on the bed.

Dumbledore came to her side. "You need rest."

"Just a day or two. I'll be fine." She stated weakly.

He only smiled. "How long do you think you were gone, Rhya?"

"I don't know, a week. Ten days maybe." Sirius looked away, but Rhya caught a glint in his eyes. Even Snape looked down to the floor.

"You were gone for forty-three days."

"That's… not possible."

He handed her the four books. "Rest for a week-"

"Headmaster-"

He raised his hand, and she became silent. "You've gone through a great deal of trouble to protect your friends and the Order."

"But I don't have to stay here for a whole week!"

"I admire you, Rhya, but you don't know when to rest."

She stuttered. "B-but, I can't miss anymore classes, sir."

"Madam Pomfrey will be near by if you ever need anything. I'm sure Hermione will be the one to bring you your studies."

Without another word Dumbledore made his way toward the door. "Sirius," he paused in his steps, "best for you to leave. Dolores is still wandering about."

Sirius stole one last glance at Rhya, then morphed into a black dog. He followed after the Headmaster.

Snape was the last to leave, rather slowly, Rhya thought. "Don't expect any special privileges, miss Farren." He paused at the doorway and glanced back. "I still expect work from all your missed lessons."

She didn't say anything. She merely watched him leave.

With a heavy sigh, she looked at the books. She stared in surprise. They were the famous books written by Tolkien, a renowned Muggle.

She removed the first book and a note fell out.

_Rhya,_

_I remember you talking about how much you_

_love these Muggle books. Just… don't ask how_

_I got them. Feel better soon. You still owe me _

_a dance, you know, so get better._

_Fred_

_P.S. I made sure George put in actual sweets_

_instead of our _special_ sweets. _

A smile escaped her lips. She still didn't trust George with his special sweets. For now, she would avoid all yellow and red candies.


	4. Chapter 4

_**It's so quiet here, and I feel so cold.**_

**Ben Cocks**

* * *

Rhya opened her eyes when she felt a slight nudge on her arm. Madam Pomfrey greeted her with a smile.

"Hello. How are you feeling?"

"What time is it?" She slurred.

"About two in the afternoon."

Rhya shot up in the bed, but realized her mistake. She gripped her stomach with a grunt. "I needed to wake up at seven. I have to stay on a tight schedule."

Promfrey sat down a tray with a small amount of food and a glass. "While you're under this wing, you will rest. All right?"

Rhya sunk deeply into her pillow with a huff.

Pomfrey had a smile, "That's better. Now drink this; it'll help." Her footsteps echoed as she went to the other side of the hospital wing and through a door. Rhya guessed it was her office.

She wasn't hungry.

Her stomach growled, loudly.

Okay, she was incredibly hungry, but had too much on her mind to waste her time on food. She had to completely decipher some ancient text for her Ancient Runes class, which she had found enjoyable. Knowing some Old Magic helped her learn ancient languages quickly.

For her Defense Against the Dark Arts, well, she didn't truly worry about that. All that was written in her textbook she had already covered in her third year with Professor Lupin. It wasn't in class. No, it was one on one lessons. That year, she discovered Lupin was her Godfather.

What else was there?

Right, there was Potions. Professor Snape seemed to have loaded Rhya up with extra homework. She had hoped against whatever hope she had within her that Snape would lessen the work. After all, he had taught her privately how to do Occlumency. He should be thrilled that she had overcome the powers of Veritaserum.

Nothing seemed to impress Professor Snape, though.

She heard Pomfrey enter the room again. Rhya barely moved. She didn't want Pomfrey to come back over to her and make her eat.

"You should eat, dear. Build your strength."

The voice didn't belong to Madam Pomfrey.

Rhya rose slowly off her pillow and a hefty, pink woman stared at her with a smile.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

Her smile faltered slightly. "I expected you to be a little more," she paused, "_delighted._"

"Sorry to disappoint."

Umbridge merely smiled. "You look awful. Maybe you should eat and drink what the nurse has put out for you."

Rhya considered flatly refusing, but she did need to stay on Umbridge's somewhat good side. Rhya reached for the glass of orange liquid. She had a feeling it wouldn't be the wonderful pumpkin juice she had missed. Nope, it would definitely be some sort of medical enhancement and all sorts of nastiness.

Umbridge stepped forward and knocked into the table holding the tray. It steered away out of Rhya's reach.

"Oh dear me. Here, let me help you." Her back was to Rhya, and Rhya knew her disadvantage. On beat as if nothing else had happened, Umbridge handed the glass to the girl.

"Go on. Drink." There was her always-present smile.

She glared at the drink. It couldn't be dangerous, she knew; however, she knew Umbridge was up to something. Slowly, she upturned the drink into her mouth.

The liquid slipped down her throat. The flavor wasn't bad, but the after taste was murder. Quite bitter.

"Tasty, I presume?"

With a sour face, she handed the glass back to Umbridge. For a few seconds, there was silence. Umbridge merely smiled at Rhya.

After the agonizing painful silence of sixteen seconds, Rhya felt blood drip out of her nose. She watched as it splattered in little drops onto her hand.

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_How long had it been? Three, maybe four days? Rhya wasn't too sure of anything related to time anymore._

_Lucius was her guard at the moment. He was always stiff when he watched over her. Maybe he didn't want an incident to happen to make the Dark Lord furious with him like what _almost_ happened on her first day here._

_The door opened, which drew the attention of Lucius and the young girl._

"_Maybe it's not her, my lord. I mean, who would trust a teenager with-"_

"_She is the Secret-Keeper." Voldemort hissed. "I know she is." His eyes lingered on her for a moment as Bellatrix waltzed in the room, appearing fairly drunk. Maybe that's just how she always looked, Rhya reconsidered. _

_His voice came softly now, but more dangerous. "And she knows of the Old Magic. The Forgotten Arts."_

"_Look at her, my lord. After this long of torture from us, wouldn't she have told us all we want to know?"_

_Bellatrix got really close to Rhya's face and stared. "She is Sirius' daughter, remember? My cousin. She's a Black."_

"_That doesn't explain anything."_

"_When you bring her mother into the picture – ugh!" Bellatrix yelled as she stood up straight. "Why had a member of the Black family frolicked along with that family!?"_

_Rhya only breathed deeply. Not only did she have many cuts and marks, but she was also sleep deprived._

"_You do know, right? Your witch of a mother?" Rhya merely glared. Bellatrix let out a boisterous laugh. "You don't know your mother?! Your last name, Farren, was her first name. Nice little cover up Dumbledore came up with, huh?"_

"_Bellatrix," came Voldemort. "That is enough."_

_She seemed to sober up as she seeped into the shadows against the wall along with Lucius._

"_Greyback, hold her for me."_

_The man next to Voldemort stepped forward with an eerie smile. His unnaturally large hand seemed to envelop Rhya's head as Voldemort held up a vial. It appeared to be clear, but she wasn't sure with the darkness of the room._

_Greyback forced her mouth open and Voldemort let the liquid slip down her throat._

_They released her, and a few seconds passed._

"_Now, where is the Order located?"_

_She simply scowled._

_His eyes became red and furious. "Tell me where it is."_

_She shook her head._

_A gooey feeling oozed out of Rhya's nose. She was bleeding._

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"You look like you've gone through quite a bit these past few weeks. Mind telling me where you were?"

"You're not going to even hand me a tissue?"

"Right, silly me." Umbridge laughed as she put an unopened box in Rhya's lap. Rhya glanced at her in disbelief of her rudeness, but held back her temper.

"Now, what have you been up to, miss Farren?"

"No offense, _Professor_, but I don't have to tell you." Rhya fiddled with the box to open it. Finally, she pulled back the opening and pulled out a tissue.

"Let's try this again, I need you to tell me of your whereabouts. By order of the Ministry of Magic."

"I will only talk to the Headmaster, which in case you haven't realized, isn't you or the Ministry."

The smile disappeared. Blood still seeped from Rhya's nose.

"Not yet."

"What are you doing?" Madam Pomfrey pushed herself between Rhya and Dolores.

"Well, Pomfrey, this matter asks for the attention of the Ministry, which would be me."

"Not in my wing!"

"You are going against the Ministry's Laws-"

"There are no laws about my hospital wing. She is under my care, and is not of your concern. Now, if you have a gift, kindly leave it and be on your way, Dolores."

Dissatisfaction covered the pink woman's face. Slowly, she turned toward the door. She regained herself and left with a little extra step in her stride.

"You're my hero, Madam Pomfrey."

"Yes, yes – what in the world have you done to your nose?!"

"Would you mind getting me another glass of," she glanced to the orange liquid, "whatever that stuff is. I think Umbridge put something in it."

"Of course, dear." Pomfrey picked up the glass and mumbled about the Ministry all the way back into her office.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Take me away, where the monsters will play. Take me away, where they'll never see my face.**_

**I Am Empire**

* * *

Days passed within Rhya's week at the hospital wing. She rarely had visitors, mainly due to Madam Pomfrey yelling at who ever entered the wing. She'd tell them that Rhya needed plenty of rest before her week was up. She liked the loneliness, though. She didn't feel lonely, but after everything with Voldemort, she didn't want to talk much.

Not like it was different from usual.

Rhya learned from Hermione that Fred came by several times.

She didn't care much for romance, but sometimes, the way Fred looked at her, it was different than how he looked at anyone else. It gave her stomach a weird feeling, one she didn't like. Nevertheless, it always came even if she didn't want it.

On her second day, she realized that if she ate a little chocolate before she drank Pomfrey's orange liquid of healing, it had no bitter after taste. It wasn't half bad, actually.

Catching up on her missed lessons was easier than what she had originally imagined. She still hadn't finished with Potions, but neatly there. Ancient Runes, simple. Transfiguration, always came easily to her. DADA, did she really even need to go back over her missed lessons? Charms took a little extra time compared to the others, but it was complete.

Professor Sprout visited Rhya and informed her about Herbology herself. After seeing Rhya's appearance, Sprout told her not to worry about a few assignments. Professor Sprout visited another time, but Rhya was asleep. She left a little gift, an odd little plant; she expected nothing less from the head of Hufflepuff House.

Hagrid came one time to check on her, one of the few times she was awake during the day. He told her not to worry about making up assignments since he knew of her special mission from Dumbledore.

To make Pomfrey happy, Rhya chose to sleep during the day and stay awake through the night. She was sure Pomfrey assumed Rhya was sleeping through the night as well, but it was untrue.

Today, Rhya noticed a new package. It was wrapped in brown paper with a red ribbon tied beautifully around it. She picked it up and saw the familiar handwriting. The letters _P. M._ were on it.

Making sure Pomfrey wasn't around, she loosened the red ribbon. Magically, the ribbon twirled elegantly above the package until it floated neatly to the bedside. Rhya ripped the brown covering, and a plain box filled her eyes. She lifted the top.

She gasped.

0000000000000000000000000

_A brightly colored orange fox was well out of Hogsmeade when she stopped to catch her breath. Rhya transformed into her human form under the moonlight._

"_Centaurs are getting more riled everyday." She huffed to herself as she bent over._

"_Out for a little stroll?" She jolted upright and turned on a dime. She whipped out her wand. In her turn, she noticed five cloaked figures._

"_Expelliarmus!" Shouted one man._

_Rhya's wand flew out of her hand. "Accio wand!" Shouted Bellatrix._

"_Stupefy!" Rhya's body flew through the air. An orange pendant fell on the ground. She recovered herself, and crawled on the ground to grab the pendant. There was another shout from another Death Eater; a spell that she had never heard before._

_Her body went completely stiff. A Death Eater removed his mask, and his white hair blew lightly in the wind._

_She heard the _snap_ of her wand. "No more wand for you, missy." Came Bellatrix's annoying voice._

_Rhya cursed under her breath._

"_My, my." Came Lucius with a smile. "A little far from Hogwarts, and in the middle of term?"_

_She breathed heavily. How did they even find her? _

_Rhya felt her body start to become nimble again. She was still too far from the pendant, and it appeared as if the Death Eaters hadn't noticed it. She could make a run for it, and return later for the necklace. Where could she go without her wand? She couldn't Apparate without it. What could she even do?_

_Her animangus was about all she could do without her wand. _A lot of help that'll be, _she thought. _Oh, look. An adorable little fox that can only nip at ankles.

_She gripped her hand into the grass and threw dirt into Lucius' face. He backed away from the temporary blindness._

_She lurched from the confusion, and heard several spells shouted her way. They all missed._

_She needed to wait until she was hidden by the darkness to transform. She needed the cloak of the night to hide in a log or a burrow. Her heart beat loudly, and fear plunged itself in her throat. She kept running, though._

_Something hit her._

_And she fell._

_Rhya collided with the cold dirt. Her head was spinning as she tried to regain herself. She sat off the ground, even though she felt dizzy. Shadows progressed toward her, and her heartbeat grew louder. She pushed off the ground in the other direction, but shrieked from pain as she thudded against the ground again._

_She looked to her leg, but saw no injury._

_A Death Eater's mask flew off. Grey hair began to cover his whole form, and his face distorted into a snout coupled with golden eyes. He gripped his claws around Rhya's throat. She tried to tear him off her, but physically, he was competent. _

"_Hard to get around with that leg of yours?" Growled the wolf-man. "A wizard can't do much about a broken leg without a nurse nearby." Something like a laugh came from his throat._

"_You must be Fenrir."_ _She stated hoarsely. "Never expected you to smell so vile." His grip tightened, and another growl protruded, louder than the previous._

"_I can claw your little neck right now," he whispered. His soft voice was more terrifying than his regular voice. "I can turn you right here. Make you one of my own, you know."_

_She spat in his face._

_He released her neck and wiped the saliva off of him. He pulled his arm back. It flew forward, and she closed her eyes._

"_That's enough, Greyback!" Lucius called._

_She opened her eyes to find his claws mere inches from her eyes._

00000000000000000000000000000

She reached into the box and pulled out the treasure. It was her orange pendant. Silver metal twirled protectively, beautifully around a triangular shaped shard. A small fire breathed within it.

She put it around her neck. How did _P. M. _even find the pendant? Rhya could handle the Christmas and birthday gifts; until Sirius and Remus, _P. M._ was the only person to give her presents. Well, there was also Mrs. Weasley.

Rhya, however, could not handle this mysterious person finding this rare necklace. Despite that, giving it back to her. She didn't like it one bit. Maybe one of the Death Eaters _did_ see her necklace fall to the ground. Maybe the mysterious person is a Death Eater, but undercover.

She needed to talk to Dumbledore.

Slowly, quietly, she pulled the bed sheets off of her. She made it a few hobbles away from the bed, then stopped in a turn. She reached for a small box, and presumed out of the hospital wing.

Her leg wasn't broken anymore, but her body as a whole still has to get over the aches of torture.

She continued to hobble. Using the wall for support made her look less like a walrus, so she was thankful.

It was nighttime, and students would be in their dormitories. As she passed around the corner, the thought of the rule not applying to Professors crossed her mind.

And then there was Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, dear." Rhya whispered to herself.

"M-miss Farren?" McGonagall looked at her bemused, "What are you doing up so late? By orders of the Headmaster, you're supposed to be recovering."

"Technically speaking, Professor, in about twenty minutes, my required recovery time in the hospital wing will be up."

McGonagall stood still with a hint of a smile forming.

"Be that as it may, miss Farren, twenty minutes is still part of the time. Now get back to the wing. It is still after hours."

"Professor, I need to speak to Dumbledore."

"Is it important? Can it wait for tomorrow?"

Rhya shook her head.

She paused. "Fine. Follow me."

Rhya limped against the wall and McGonagall walked by her side.

"What's that in your hand?"

"Chocolates." She stopped. Minerva watched as Rhya paused in her stride and pulled out a tissue from her pocket. Blood seeped out of Rhya's nose in drips.

"I'll carry those for you." McGonagall carried the sweets as they continued walking. Well, one walked, the other limped.

They stopped as McGonagall entered the password. She helped Rhya up the stairs, and there was Dumbledore sitting at his desk.

"Rhya? I would have assumed you to be in bed."

"I need to ask you something, sir."

He studied her. "Go ahead."

"The necklace you gave me after last year's term," she paused, "I lost it when I was ambushed."

"It seems you're wearing it right now."

"Well, yes… I told you about the mysterious gifts I receive. The pendant was in a package earlier."

"And this troubles you?"

"Well… yeah. Kind of. I mean, how did this person find the necklace unless they were there with me? The person has to be a Death Eater."

Rhya jumped when something crashed on the floor. McGonagall had placed the box of chocolates on a platter, but it was half way off the table. The weight of the box caused the collision.

"Sorry, Albus."

"No worries, Minerva." His attention focused back on the young girl, "This is your conclusion, Rhya?"

"Yes, sir."

"Not all conclusions are fact."

"Then-"

"What do you know of those pendants?"

"Um… five were created in all, made with a Dragon's fire. Well crafted, they can hide a wizard's magic, so to speak."

"Yes. In other words, blinding the Ministry from seeing an underage wizard using magic outside school terms." He smiled.

"Then what am I missing?"

"Out of the five, two were destroyed."

"Alright. Three remain. How does that help?"

"When properly used, a wizard can harness the true power of the shard. It can locate its other brothers."

She stood stock-still. "Then, anyone can find me?"

"There's no need to worry. One of its brothers is locked deep within a vault at Gringotts."

"And the last?"

"On the person that found yours."

"But what if the person is a Death Eater? Voldemort could find out and discover the Order."

"You worry too much. Just take a few deep breaths and get an extra few hours of sleep."

"But-"

"I can assure you, my dear, the mysterious _P. M._ is not a Death Eater."

"Then who is he? Or she? Whoever, I want to know."

"I am not at liberty to say."

"You're the Headmaster! You're Professor Albus Dumbledore, basically the greatest wizard of all time, and you're telling me you're _not at liberty to say_?"

"When and _if_ this person decides to reveal who they are, it will be completely in their say so."

"I have the right to know."

"That's for them to decide."

"I was captured by Death Eaters! I deserve to know who has been sending me gifts since I was nine. The first gift I ever received was from this person, and I don't even know if they are male or female."

"Maybe from recent events of your capture, this person will come out of the shadows."

Calming her anger, she exhaled deeply. "You are positive that this person isn't a Death Eater?"

"I can assure you."

Water glistened in Rhya's eyes from the firelight. She glanced around at the portraits on the walls. They were all staring. She cleared her throat. "Sorry, Headmaster. That was an unneeded response on my part. Sorry for your time."

She turned and limped toward the stairwell.

"Rhya." She paused, but didn't look back. "I've never seen you get angry, even in dire situations. There's no need to apologize for taking precautionary measures for your own safety."

She descended the stairs.


	6. Chapter 6

_**I should have known better; now it hurts much more.**_

**Ben Cocks**

* * *

Harry, Ron, and Hermione came to the hospital wing early the next morning. Fred and George accompanied them, but Rhya hadn't slept well that night. She was disturbed by the fact that Dumbledore wouldn't tell her about the person. Not only that, but the fact that Rhya had lashed out at Dumbledore. Sure, she may have been angry at times before, but she knew how to control herself.

"Morning!" Came all five of them in unison.

They helped her gather her gifts and make the walk back to the dormitory. Hermioned and another girl helped Rhya up the stairs. A few other girls carried her gifts since boys weren't allowed. Against Rhya's wishes, Hermione helped undress and redress her.

She attended Herbology, Ancient Runes, and Transfiguration. They were simple. She turned in her late work, and the teachers resumed with class. Many students whispered behind her back and snickered. Some looked on with disgust that she had missed over a month of schoolwork and was still able to turn it all in.

But, people will talk, since that's what they love to do.

Then, Potions.

It didn't matter how well written her work was, or how much effort she had put forth in a week for it, but Rhya knew Snape would publicize how incompetent she had been, and how much sheer luck she had for him letting her turn in all the work.

Yeah, that sounded about right.

Rhya and Hermione sat at one table in the far back while Ron and Harry were in front of them. Most of the class had already arrived, and were staring. Rhya busied herself with shuffling through her notebooks. She took out her potion notebook right as Snape walked in the dungeon.

The class fell silent.

He walked to Rhya and held out his hand. She handed the notebook and braced herself.

No words came from Professor Snape. He whipped out his wand and whisked it. Several ingredients floated out of his cupboard and landed lightly on his desk. Snape walked away to the front of the class.

Draco Malfoy and his little group sat at the table near Rhya, which was odd. They normally sat in the very front.

"What lie have you given them?" He whispered to her. She didn't look. Harry turned slightly. "Not you, Potter!"

"Drop it, Malfoy." Came Ron.

Malfoy scoffed, "Did you tell them how Voldemort is back and how you _valiantly_ fought against him for a month?" A few people near them laughed. Malfoy didn't see the tears forming in Rhya's eyes.

"Pay attention!" Snape yelled. He actually yelled, and Rhya jumped in her chair, as did everyone else. His eyes lingered on Rhya. He looked away and resumed his teaching.

"Did the Death Eaters pull a little prank on you?" They all held back their laughter.

_He asked another question, but she didn't hear it. She felt drugged, and she had a massive headache. A burning sensation came from her back, and she yelled. She wanted to run, but her restraints prevented it._

"_Answer me!" Greyback shouted. He was half wolf, half man again. His claws were at her neck, and Lucius cast the curse on her back._

Snape was now next to Harry staring at all of them. "If I have to tell you one more time-" he stopped when he noticed water in her eyes. She saw him hesitate. "Then it'll be detention for all of you." He strode off.

"What did you tell the Ministry, Farren?" Draco continued quietly. "Why should a Mudblood like you get special privileges?"

"_What are you doing?" Rhya yelled and jerked roughly against her chains. Greyback looked at her with a devilish grin._

_Bellatrix stood near the door with the same grin. She shut it._

_Greyback's eyes turned a golden color. His whole body morphed into a werewolf. He was fully a werewolf, unaware of his humanity. She jerked against the chains again._

"_Pagos!" She yelled. Nothing happened._

"_Fiota!" She shouted. Nothing._

_The werewolf towered over her and latched onto her neck. She screamed. Death Eaters swarmed in around the werewolf and forced him back, but it was done. She had been bitten. _

"Answer me." Draco spoke with an icy tone.

She stood from the chair and made her way toward the door.

"Farren, sit back down." Came Snape.

She left the room.

00000000000000000000000000000

Snape trailed through the grass of the school grounds. "Stop hiding." He paused and waited.

A fox limped from the grass and looked up at the Professor. He whipped his wand, and she formed into a human. She stared up at Snape.

"Look, I know you're mad-"

"Furious, actually." He spoke slowly. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Strolling out of class when the Professor told you not to."

"Detention, I assume?"

"We'll let the Headmaster decide."

She uncrossed her arms. "Why can't you? You're my Professor."

"Nevertheless, he requests you." Snape turned to leave, and Rhya followed after him.

Not many students were out at the moment. Being past sunset, most were in their Houses resting. Snape and Rhya made their way through the halls until she stood in front of Dumbledore's desk. Professor McGonagall was there as well. Snape stepped in front of Rhya, but her attention stayed on Dumbledore.

"Hello again, Rhya." Dumbledore smiled to her.

She nodded to the Headmaster.

"It has come to my attention of how distant you've been with your friends." He stood from his chair.

"You asked to see me because I don't talk much? Sorry, Headmaster, but I've always been that way."

"We're just worried about you." Came McGonagall. "With what you've been through… we don't want you to distant yourself."

"So Harry has a little fiasco with Voldemort, or something that relates to him, every year, and no one thinks twice. Me, though, I'm a helpless girl that can't handle herself?"

"The opposite, actually." Came Snape. Rhya met his eyes. "Potter turns to his friends when he is in turmoil. You, however, shut yourself away from everyone."

"I am sorry, Rhya." Dumbledore stated gently.

"For what?"

Snape stepped forward, wand raised. She noticed the pensieve behind him.

"No," she whispered. "Please, don't."

"Legilimens!"

_Voldemort stood in front of her with a vial of Veritaserum._

_Nagini struck her. No pain._

_Rhya was unchained and constricting on the floor in agony._

_Greyback bit her. Blood oozed from her fresh opening._

_She spoke ancient words of a spell and ice pierced through a Death Eater's heart without her wand._

"STOP!"

Air whipped around her and knocked the three Professors to the floor. The Headmaster Portraits fell to the ground with a few grunts from the pain.

Rhya leaned against the nearest table to her. "What the hell was that?!" She yelled toward Snape.

He didn't answer.

"You just thought I was emotionally unstable enough," she seethed, "so you could use your bloody spell to get inside my head?"

"You've barely spoken to anyone." Came McGonagall.

"Oh?" She raised her voice in a sarcastic tone. "So forcing to get in my head makes more sense than simple questions?"

"We tried questions." Dumbledore stood off the floor.

"Yeah, right after it had happened," she spat. "Have you even stopped to consider the shape I'm in? My head," she pressed fingertips against her temples, "keeps spinning."

"It's okay to show fear." He stated gently.

"Don't you understand?" She backed away against the wall. "They. Broke. Me. One more day, and _everything_ you've entrusted with me, I would have told them."

"I don't believe that."

"You weren't there, Headmaster."

Snape took a step toward her. "Let me to see the rest of what happened."

"Haven't you seen enough?" She argued and turned to leave.

Snape gripped her arm. "You've been bitten."

She jerked, but didn't get free. "I'm not a werewolf!"

"And how could you, a teenager, have already tested it?"

She hesitated. "I… haven't fully tested it yet- but I don't feel anything different. Wizards that turn have documented a massive appetite within the first ten days. And, and-"

"There are no known cures for a bite."

She collected her thoughts. "Th- they all have marks of the bite."

He forced her closer and moved her jacket slightly away from her neck. Red slash marks were there, but no teeth marks.

"… No mark."

"Nothing gets past you, Professor." His grip tightened.

He spoke slowly, "It would appear you were not infected, however, we should monitor you on this next full moon." She struggled against his grip again. "And what of Nagini? She bit you as well, but it would seem you were immune to her poison."

"Rhya," came Dumbledore, "why didn't you tell us?"

She attempted to get her hand loose, but Snape was relentless. "I was going to. I just… needed time."

"Your resistance in Occlumency seems to be lacking."

"I just came here to know what my punishment was for leaving your class." She argued. "Excuse me for lowering my guard around my professors."

"Rhya?" Came Dumbledore.

"What?" She asked irritably.

"What of your wand? When Harry brought you here, we didn't find it on you."

"Bellatrix broke it." She paused. "When I was ambushed."

Snape released his hold and walked over to the fireplace. "Rather incompetent, aren't you? Bellatrix is one of the weakest of the Death Eaters, however… she is the most loyal; it would seem."

Rhya breathed in deeply in disbelief of Snape's words. "Well, excuse me for being an underage wizard and not being able to take on five fully qualified Death Eaters. Pardon me for not being good enough after they had stunned me, and I lied helpless on the ground."

He turned slowly and faced her. "But you're the youngest wizard I've heard of," he paused and glanced to Dumbledore, "to use a very powerful protective spell without the use of a wand."

"What do you mean? I've seen you perform wandless magic all the time," she paused, "sir."

"Few wizards take time and patience to use wandless magic. Sometimes it's unintentional. For wizards attempting it intentionally their first time, well, it's nothing to the effects of what you did."

McGonagall stepped forward and looked Snape in the eye. "Was that a compliment, Severus?"

"It may have been."

Rhya hesitated. She may have been able to use powerful wandless magic, but it was after forty-three days of her trying. She looked down. She wasn't all that special. "Just, don't ask me to come here again to get in my head." She made her way to the stairs.

Dumbledore stepped toward her. "Rhya, you must see reason for our worry."

"Sir, I understand why you and Professor Snape are doing this, I truly do." She turned and looked at the three. "I just don't understand why you put so much trust in me to do these missions, but you don't trust that I'll get better mentally," she paused, "in time."

He looked down for a moment. "Yes, I agree. I made an irrational decision. Please, stay and let's talk?"

She wasn't in the mood to talk. Especially after all Snape tried to do. "Fine." She eased past Snape and sat down in a chair in front of the desk. Dumbledore sat behind it, and appeared quite tired.

"Severus, please stay. Minerva, you may retire for the night."

"Yes, Albus." She left with a yawn.

"You were bitten?" Dumbledore asked in a quiet voice.

"Fenrir Greyback."

"How much do you know about him?"

"He's the one that turned Remus."

"Professor Lupin." Corrected Snape. He paced behind her.

"He may have been my professor, sir, but he is foremost my godfather."

Dumbledore smiled. "What did you take before his bite? Any special liquids that may have enhanced a resistance."

She cleared her throat. "By that time, I had been roughly two days without water. Four without food. So, it wasn't anything I took."

"Very peculiar. Also with Nagini?"

"It was the day I was captured."

"Quite an immune system, if I may say." His smile grew. "We need to dig more into this. Severus, you're sure there aren't any natural resistances?"

"As far as my knowledge goes, none, Albus."

"What a predicament." He looked at all the fallen portraits. He whisked his wand and the frames hung themselves back up. "What else happened during those forthy-three days?"

"Multiple questions. If I didn't answer, or replied something rather sarcastic, they would put a red mark randomly on me."

"What else?"

"Cruciatus Curse at times. Almost got Lucius to cut out my tongue."

"How did you manage that?" Came Snape.

"Provoked him, obviously."

"Yes, but why?"

She dropped her gaze. "So… if I did reach my breaking point, I wouldn't be able to talk."

"Ingenious." He walked behind her to the fireplace. "Too bad he didn't, or my classes could be a lot quieter."

"That was Draco and your Slytherins doing."

"Nevertheless."

Rhya rolled her eyes away from Snape's attention, but Dumbledore caught it. A light smile touched his lips.

"And what else happened?" Albus interjected.

"Repetition, really. Over and over. Same methods."

There was a loud sound that protruded from the door. Rhya stood to her feet and watched for the people to come in.

"I can leave." She suggested, ready to stop this conversation.

She stopped in her tracks when Harry and Ron greeted her eyes. They were in their pajamas, but Harry appeared shaken. Sweat trickled from his brow and spots under his shirt.

"That won't be necessary, miss Farren." McGonagall spoke from behind the boys.

Harry went into detail with Dumbledore about a dream he had concerning Mr. Weasley. Dumbledore told Minerva to bring all the Weasleys to his office. Snape took his leave. Rhya watched as redheaded people came into the room.

Fred's attention landed on Rhya.

She watched as Dumbledore made a portkey. He told them to surround the item and touch it at the same time.

Fred stood next to her, shoulder to almost shoulder. She was a good head shorter than he.

"One, two, three." They all grabbed the portkey.

Sirius and Mrs. Weasley stood in front of them. She had had water in her eyes, but smiled anyway. Harry rushed to Sirius and gripped him in a hug.

Only now did Rhya feel a sensation deep in her stomach. She looked to her hand and found that Fred had somehow stealthily interlocked their fingers. Heat flowed into her cheeks.

"Rhya." Came Sirius. He paused and observed Fred and Rhya's hands. She quickly pulled away, and Sirius went in for a hug.

She scurried off behind her father, but stole one last glance behind her.

"Fred or George?" He asked with his hand reached out.

"Fred." He gripped Sirius' hand and they shook once.

They let go of each other. "Now, listen here. If you do _anything_ to hurt her in any way, I will kill you. Remember, I'm a murderer."

Fred merely smiled back to Sirius. "If it's any consolation, I always thought you were innocent." He winked.

Sirius looked him up and down for a moment. A smile slid on his face, and he patted Fred on the back. "Think I might like you."

Sirius caught Rhya looking at them. "Rhya, he actually your boy yet?"

"Sirius!"

"Yeah, I am serious." He smiled and walked over to his daughter.

"When are you actually going to call me "dad"?"

"When your name is finally cleared and I can change mine to Black. That's when."

"Ah, it's Christmas break! No one's around."

"I don't want to make it a habit and have people figure out that I know where you are. That's why."

"You're no fun." Sirius commented.

"No, she's really not." Came Fred.


	7. Chapter 7

_**The trees look like wolves. I can hear the shouts and calls of creatures in the dark.**_

**I Am Empire**

* * *

Rhya woke up for breakfast earlier than the others that were in school. She wore a dark pair of jeans with a hoodie. She went to Diagon Alley and picked out another wand. Fred volunteered to go with her, but she left before he was ready. She did it on purpose.

She merely needed some time alone.

She went to Ollivander's Wand Shop. She enjoyed talking to him, even if nothing special. He tried giving her the brother of the first wand she had, but it didn't take to her. They went through several more different types, but only one reacted to her touch.

It was eleven inches long. The wood was made of Cypress, and the core was thestral tail hair. He warned her to be careful since thestral tail hair could be unstable. She made a mental note to look up what a "thestral" was.

After picking up her new wand, she apparated to downtown London and spent some time in a coffee shop. Here, she could have some great coffee and go over some specs of her journal. The journal contained images of different species of dragons. Hers went into detailed information about them.

Her mind would drift to Greyback and his transformation. She had always felt sorry for werewolves. Against their will, they are forced to change into a wolf being. She sighed. Soon she would know the truth.

Even though Greyback was a werewolf, she couldn't find any deep crevice within her that could forgive him. She wasn't like Remus. Her heart was more hardened than his when it came to this whole werewolf thing. If it were an accident, then she wouldn't be as bothered.

She released a long, drawn out sigh and turned the page. A drawing of a rare, red Kazilik, originally thought to be extinct. Rhya has only seen one of them, or rather met one.

There weren't too many people in the shop, but one person did enter the place.

"Rhya?"

Rhya closed the book quickly, and looked up. _Oh no_. She forced a smile. A tall girl with long, black hair rushed to Rhya's table. She wore a tight blouse and a miniskirt with leggings underneath.

"How are you?" She asked.

"Fine." Rhya answered with a smile, not sure what else to say.

"You're still not wearing makeup? Girl, it would make you less pale." She winked. "So, you're still like an orphan or something, right?"

"Yeah. Or something."

The girl nudged Rhya's shoulder, and Rhya's smile faltered.

"You were always the funny one." She laughed louder than what was necessary.

"I wasn't trying to be-"

"Here you are, miss." The man from the cash register brought over the girl's coffee. He looked up to Rhya and smiled. She didn't, but looked away. He returned to his counter.

"He's cute." The girl stated.

"Sure." Rhya replied nonchalantly.

"You should go ask him out."

"I barely know him."

"Who cares? How has your life been anyway? You like disappeared when you turned ten."

"Eleven. I was eleven. I go to a school across the country."

"Why?"

Rhya merely wanted to be left alone.

"I'm sorry if this comes off as rude, but why are you talking to me?"

"We used to be friends." She still smiled.

"No, we weren't. If I recall correctly, you and your little group would make fun of me."

She nudged Rhya's arm again. "No, you silly." The girl placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on it.

"Look, I came here to be alone."

The girl stared at Rhya as if she didn't hear her.

"Cheyenne!"

The girl jolted from Rhya's outburst. "Sorry… just, the marks on your neck. How did you say you got them?"

"I didn't."

"Oh… well, I'm interested."

"You shouldn't be."

"Such an introvert." Cheyenne merely smiled. She reminded Rhya a little of Umbridge. "You know, you should really ask the counter boy out."

"The counter boy has a name."

"Yeah, go figure out what it is."

"It's on his nametag."

"Oh, brilliant. So you already know what it is." She looked behind her and saw a younger man entering the coffee shop. "I'll see you later. That's my boy."

Rhya didn't reply. Feeling disturbed from seeing an old classmate, she rose out of the chair, and she placed her journal into her bag. She pushed the chair back in, but stopped. Something was on her shoulder. She turned slightly, and a black cane rested on it.

"Miss Farren." Came Lucius' voice.

She cursed under her breath.

"Always with the cursing." He smiled. He walked in front of her and faced her. "Why so stiff?"

"_Why are you here_?"

"Why, Draco and I," Draco brushed passed her and stood next to his father, "were watching the _Muggles_ in their… natural habitat." He looked around the coffee shop and appeared disgusted. "We happened to pass by the window when I noticed a familiar face."

"Well, I really must be going." She turned, but his cane stopped her. No one in the shop seemed to have taken notice of the action.

"Why don't you sit with us? Just for a few moments." She glanced to the window and didn't see any other Death Eaters. The Malfoys sat in the chairs and waited for Rhya to do the same.

Slowly, she sat back down.

"Good. Good. For a moment, I thought I would have to attack your friend over there."

Rhya looked to Cheyenne. "You'd honestly be doing me a favor." She glanced around the coffee shop "Why are you even talking to a Mudblood like me?"

He laughed. Like, actually laughed. "You really know nothing, do you? There's nothing wrong with you and I talking, since in fact, you are a Pureblood." Rhya stiffened. "Oh, did your trusted Dumbledore not tell you, or your mangy, filthy father?"

Her gaze fell to her almost empty cup of coffee.

"Such a pity."

"I've gone fifteen years without knowing." She locked eyes with him. "I think I'll be fine a little longer."

"Such loyalty. Maybe you should have been in Hufflepuff." He and Draco snickered. "Or even Ravenclaw for your wit." He paused and eyed her carefully. "But Slytherin would be a fine match with your determination and need to take care of everything by yourself."

"Luckily, you weren't the one who sorted me." His attention was drawn to her neck.

"Seems that your bite has disappeared." She didn't respond. "You're a very peculiar, young witch, Farren. I'll give you that. I just wonder what is making you immune to the Dark Lord's actions."

Draco stiffened, and Rhya noticed. Had he really not known that Death Eaters captured her?

"Answer me." Lucius spoke slowly.

"You can't make me do anything."

"Watch me."

"You can't use magic in the presence of Muggles." She whispered.

"But, if it's to capture you, at least the Dark Lord will be satisfied."

Rhya looked to her bag. In it, she saw her wand. He already had his in his cane. Just a pull and a flick.

She focused and whispered, "Pagos."

Lucius went to pull his wand out; only, the wand didn't budge. Ice encased the handle of the wand to the cane. She grabbed her bag and rushed out the door. In a fast walk, she hurried down an alleyway.

"Farren!" Lucius shouted. She heard the ice shatter, and heard him chant something.

She apparated.

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She returned to the Black House to find that everyone was awake now. Sirius encased her in a tight hug and so did Mrs. Weasley.

"Worried where you ran off to." She stated.

_Everyone seems to be worried._ Rhya pulled out her wand and smiled. "Just for this."

Remus walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't take four hours to get a wand." He noticed the redness in her eyes. "Have you not been sleeping well?"

"Also needed some coffee." She replied, refusing to look him in the eye.

"We have coffee here."

"I needed to look back over my journal." She stated and noticed Harry and Ron in the kitchen door. "Alone."

"Ah. I see."

She watched as Remus made his way past Ron and Harry. She followed after him and saw lunch already prepared on the table.

And in the corner stood Professor Snape.

Rhya paused at the sight of him. She knew why he was here. He made his way to Remus and gave him a goblet. It foamed at the brim. "Here you are, Lupin."

"Ah, thank you, Severus."

Snape straightened back up and his attention landed on Rhya. She looked from the foaming goblet to Snape, and she held her breath. She wasn't ready for Remus to know, or anyone for that matter. She didn't want her father or godfather to know of there being a chance that she was infected.

Without another word, Snape apparated.

Rhya released a breath.

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A dragon roared.

Rhya glanced up from its outburst, assuming there was trouble. She relaxed when the smaller dragons were simply playing.

She sat on a hill with her knees drawn up close to her. Her journal was out, and she scribbled notes randomly on the pages.

A small dragon with dark green scales flew over to her. He rubbed his snout against her forehead as she wrapped her arm around him.

"Good to see you, too." She smiled. "I hope you like being with your own kin."

The dragon looked back to the larger ones. Fire circled around him as he grew, and he wasn't small anymore. He observed the young girl, waiting.

Rhya looked to the sky. The sun was setting, and it would be dark soon.

"Thanks for the offer, Ralaan, but I can't."

Fire encased his body, and now, he was small again. He rubbed against her leg. She released another sigh.

What if she was a werewolf?

"How touching." A slow voice stated behind her.

She didn't need to turn around to know it was Snape. "You found me easily."

"Don't forget that Dumbledore informs us of what you're up to."

"Including the where?"

"Obviously."

She exhaled, and Ralaan flew back toward the colony. She closed her journal and stored her quill.

"Never been this close to one before." He continued.

"You should try talking to the Vasilias." She stood up and noticed that he didn't understand the term. "Dragon King."

Snape merely nodded. "It's time to go."

"Where are we going?"

He reached out and gripped her arm, forcibly. He apparated, bringing Rhya along with him. She felt solid ground again, but Snape threw her forward. Unbalanced, she fell to the ground.

She glanced up and saw the Shrieking Shack. She huffed as she regained herself and stood off the ground. She formed her hands into fists.

"You do realize that I actually can apparate by myself?"

"I am just a professor helping a student."

"Even though I am fully capable?"

He looked down at me from his height. "Can never be too sure."

"You know, you're really getting on my nerves." She dusted off her clothes.

"The feeling is mutual."

"Oh, and what have I done to you?"

"For one, not informing anyone else of your… condition-"

"If I even have it!"

"Two, also not informing anyone that you ran into Lucius Malfoy today." He paused waiting for another outburst from Rhya, which didn't come. Her head fell. "Shall I go on?"

"How did you know about that?"

He glared, but didn't reply.

She looked up. "Did Dumbledore order you to watch me?"

He still didn't answer.

Rhya threw her hands in the air, "Typical." She walked closer to the shack, and Snape followed at a distance. "Anything else I should know about?"

"Anything else _we_ should know about?" He snapped back.

She abruptly stopped and turned on a dime, fuming. "You shouldn't have gotten in my head. Something like legilimency shouldn't even exist."

He stepped closer. "No, it probably shouldn't. But it does. It exists, and the Dark Lord excels in its uses."

Rhya appeared as if she was going to reply, but held back her words. She began to calm her anger and look to the ground.

"Look, I appreciate that you taught me Occlumency."

"Not like I had a choice," he commented slowly. "Bugging me in the middle of the night until we went over a lesson."

"Dumbledore trusted me with secrets, Snape… and I didn't want to let him, and everyone else, down."

"Professor Snape." He corrected. "I saw in your mind. I saw what the Dark Lord did to you, Farren. Stop pretending you are all right."

"Then stop pretending you care." He exhaled a breath. She turned and walked closer to the Shrieking Shack. As she walked, she posed a question, "Why is it just you?"

"Should I take that as an insult, miss Farren?"

"I… may actually turn tonight."

He spoke slowly, "You doubt whether I can handle a teenage werewolf?" She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"I was only wondering." She sat down in the grass. She expected Snape would rather have the stairs. Even though she wasn't too happy with him, she still needed to respect him as a Professor.

Now, they waited.

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Moonlight was on the ground around the Shrieking Shack, but it's light hadn't touched Rhya's skin yet.

"Professor," Rhya began and waited for a reply. Snape didn't give one. "Why does Voldemort want to learn Old Magic? He's already renowned for his abilities."

"Since I know nothing about the Forgotten Arts, I am unable to answer." She heard him stand. "It's about time."

Rhya didn't want to stand. She didn't want to face the chance that she could be a werewolf. Snape gripped her and forced her to her feet. He threw her forward, toward the moonlight.

The light touched her skin. Nothing happened. She averted to the moon, then to Snape.

Then, she felt something move within her. She looked down and saw her hands changing. Claws formed in a lanky fashion with fur covering them.

"P-professor." She muttered quietly.

Pain flushed through her whole body. All the marks she received from Voldemort and his Death Eaters burned again. Rhya fell to her knees while wrapping her arms around herself. Fire enveloped the marks, causing her to scream.

Her face felt distorted as if it was growing, and it was. Snape watched helplessly as the transformation took hold of her. He has seen werewolves transform a few times, but this one was different.

It almost appeared as if scales were growing over her skin instead of fur. Her hands became bulkier with a giant set of curved claws.

He readied his wand. The first transformation was nearly complete.

But something else happened. The snout on her face seemed shorter than a few seconds ago. The claws appeared to be retracting. The scales began to sink back into the skin.

Then, Rhya stared up at him in confusion. She was normal. Her breathing was quick and raspy.

He came closer to her and kneeled beside her, examining her arms with disbelief.

"No scars."

Rhya looked down to her arm. The red slashes that Madam Pomfrey said would turn into scars were gone.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This one is extra long compared to the previous, since you guys are my favorite people in the world. And that's not something to take lightly, since I don't like anyone.**

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_**A stain covers your heart, and tears you apart just like a sleeping cancer.**_

**12 Stones**

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Harry felt something nudging him. He opened his eyes to see George hovering over him.

"Ron." Fred said as he patted Ron's face. He jolted awake.

"What do you want?" He asked sleepily.

"The Order is having another meeting this morning."

"So?" Harry said. "They do normal reports about events Voldemort may be behind."

"Yes, yes, but," George stood up straight and Harry put his glasses on. "This meeting is about Rhya."

"What about her?"

He glanced to Fred. "We're not sure."

"But it should be interesting." Came George with a smile.

Harry and Ron dragged themselves out of bed. Harry thought it would be like all the other reports. They were quite boring, and that's why they stopped listening in on the meetings.

"It's probably just her talking about whatever mission she's been given."

"We'd like to know." Fred and George stated in unison.

"I care more about sleep." Muttered Ron. Harry smiled, but also felt the same way.

Hermione was already by the stairs. "It's about time you two got up." Fred and George took out their extendable ears. The five hovered around each other and listened.

Rhya's voice came as an echo. "There were signs that I wasn't infected."

Sirius spoke. "Rhya, I can't make this any plainer: there is no cure. I would know."

A chair scooted on the floor. "You should have told us." It was Remus.

"It doesn't matter now." She said flatly. "Something happened last night, that neither Professor Snape nor I can figure out."

"Snape?" Asked Harry.

"Sh!" Came Fred.

"I'm still disappointed that you didn't actually _tell_ anyone." Remus continued.

"There was no reason to stir worry where it wasn't needed."

"Not needed? You were bitten! What made you think that you wouldn't turn?"

Harry looked to Ron and Hermione. They shared surprised faces.

"Werewolf?" Whispered Ron.

"Sh!" Came Fred and Harry.

"My bite mark healed. It. Was. Gone. That has never happened in the documents I've read. There was a chance, even very slight, that I might not turn."

"And how do you explain last night?"

Hesitation. "I'm… not sure."

"And Nagini." Harry heard the deep voice of Kingsley.

"Wait, wait." Came Tonks. "Let's go back to last night. I think I might have missed something when Dumbledore explained."

"Somehow," Snape entered the conversation, "she was able to stop the transformation… with another transformation."

"But how is that possible?" Tonks asked.

There was a pause. "We are still trying to figure that out." Came Dumbledore. "Rhya, please tell them what you told me last night."

Another pause. Maybe she hesitated again, Harry thought.

"All of us in here know that Veritaserum is colorless, tasteless, and has no smell."

"Yes, we all know this." Came Tonks.

"Voldemort made me drink it when I was captured." A few gasps. Maybe, Harry thought, they thought she had revealed the Order's secrets. "I smelled an ingredient in it."

"Impossible." Kingsley chimed in.

"I thought so, too. But, I smelled Ginger root." She paused. "I'm allergic and it causes me to have nose bleeds."

"How are you able to smell it?" Alastor Moody questioned.

Dumbledore breathed, "That's what we all need to be thinking about until our next meeting."

There were a few murmurs. Harry noticed that Sirius was rather quiet.

"Since miss Farren is apparently refusing to inform the Order," Snape spoke slowly, "I would like to inform that after she acquired her new wand, she made a little trip to a Muggle coffee shop."

"And?" Laughed Tonks. "What's the big deal?"

"Would you like to tell them, Farren?" There was no answer from her. Snape continued, "Lucius threatened to use magic on her in the presence of Muggles."

There were a few gasps, especially from Mrs. Weasley.

"WHAT?!" Sirius yelled. A chair fell against the floor.

"To be willing to use magic in front of so many Muggles," whispered Remus, "is no small matter."

"It would appear," replied Snape, "that our little Rhya Farren is something rather special to the Dark Lord."

"For now," came Dumbledore, "this meeting is over. I will ask everyone to leave except Severus, Minerva, and Rhya."

Chairs screeched against the floor, but everyone remained quiet, unlike normal. Hurriedly, Fred and George brought up the extendable ears before Mrs. Weasley noticed.

After the members had left the kitchen, George let the ear fall to the bottom of the stairs again. The five crept closer to each other, listening.

"We discussed last night that you must be carefully watched over."

"Professor, that's not needed." She pleaded.

"Severus is right." Dumbledore replied. "Voldemort is interested in you, and that means you're in danger. Death Eaters could possibly try to capture you at any moment."

"But I'm protected here. They can't find this place."

"But what about when you go to the dragons? They may not know where you go, but they know you are doing something for me."

"So, what? Them two are going to watch over me all the time?"

"Yes."

She scoffed. "What about when school term starts back after the holidays? They have other lectures and classes to give. Then what, Headmaster?"

"They will keep an eye on you during term, but one of them will accompany you _each_ time you go to speak with the dragons or Centaurs.

"But, sir-"

"That is all."

Silence. Harry leaned in closer to the ear, so did the other four. The silence was rather eerie, and Harry expected Rhya to give up on the matter.

But her voice entered the ear again. "And what of Harry? Voldemort is also interested in him."

"Yes," Snape whispered, "however, at all costs, Voldemort wants you to use to his advantages."

"You mean… he wants to make me a Death Eater?"

Dumbledore answered. "Yes." There was a pause. "Why do you think he kept you alive for so long?"

"Information."

"That was a sub-reason. The main one was for you to give him your loyalty."

"I'm sure anyone in their right mind would realize that I wasn't changing sides."

"He isn't in his right mind." Came McGonagall.

Harry heard something crash with the floor. "What good can come from having me as a Death Eater? I'm fifteen bloody years old. It's not like I could teach him and the other Death Eaters Old Magic."

"However," Snape sighed, "he could use you on the inside."

"This is completely ridiculous." She replied with a deep breath. There was another pause. "But… I don't need protection all the time."

Dumbledore pleaded, "Rhya, I need you to understand."

"I get it." She replied weakly. A chair scooted. "No need to worry about my whereabouts for today, sir. I'll just be in my room."

Stealthily, like a fox, she walked out of the kitchen. The twins quickly hid the ear, but it was too late. Rhya was already at the top of the stairs and she saw all five of them. She knew what they were doing.

"Out of all the times to pull that bloody thing out?" She walked past them and into her room.

"Rhya!" Called Hermione. Rhya closed the door in her face and locked it. Hremione pulled out her wand, "Alohomora!" They all heard the door unlock. Hermione twisted the knob, but an odd noise made her stop.

She looked around the door and saw ice. The doorknob was frozen stiff. She pushed her shoulder into the door to loosen the ice, but it was too thick.

Harry looked down the stairs and noticed Rhya's pack with her wand sticking out of it.

Rhya traveled to her bed and crashed on it with a loud sigh. She understood, she truly did. Just… why had the Order been so furious with her? Yes, she hid a very important detail about what happened when she was captured, but to really cause such a ruckus?

_Well…_ She thought. She hid several things from them about the torturing. She rolled over. Thinking on it, she was surprised that Sirius hadn't chained her to the house to never leave again. He barely even spoke at the meeting.

Maybe he understood her by remembering his teenage years, but also felt hurt since he was her father.

_I'm an idiot_. She thought. _I should have told them_.

She placed her fingertips on her temples. She had a massive headache. Sleep would be good. She hasn't gotten good sleep ever since before she was ambushed.

She closed her eyes.

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The air was muggy and thick. Rhya coughed in her hand again and in it was blood. Her eyes shifted quickly at different trees in the forest. The moonlight gave it an eerie presence that disrupted her very core.

A noise drew her attention. She averted to it, but only saw darkness.

"Lumos!"

No light came. She had no wand.

A pair of red eyes emerged from the underbrush, and the creature growled. _"Fiota!"_ She shouted, but no fire came. Panic began to set in, but she wouldn't run. She knew she couldn't outrun whatever creature it was.

The creature jumped from the brush and knocked her to the ground. She struggled underneath the hairy beast. It was Greyback in his werewolf form. She reached over and gripped a stick.

With the sharp end, she jammed it into Greyback's hipbone. He howled and moved away from her. While he attempted to remove the stick, Rhya ran.

The forest wasn't thick, but roots stuck out of the ground abnormally. She broke free from the forest and was greeted by a meadow. Not hearing Greyback following, she hunched over to catch her breath.

Then, a long piece of rope wrapped around her neck. She saw Bellatrix laugh hysterically as she swished her wand. The rope tied tightly around Rhya's neck and hoisted her in the air from a tree's limb. She struggled against the difficulty of not being able to breathe.

"Fiota!" She cried.

Nothing.

Scars burned on her again, but she kept struggling to get free.

"The more you struggle, the quicker you die!" Came Bellatrix. She swished her wand a different way and the extra length of rope wrapped around her arms and legs, forcing her to become still.

Rhya watched helplessly as Voldemort walked toward her as if he was royalty, and the Death Eaters parted for him.

He reached her with a smile.

"Your arm, Rhya. Give it to me."

Rhya resisted, but the rope forced her limbs to move. He gripped her wrist and took out his wand. Rhya writhed within the holds of the rope, but they would not move to her will.

With his wand, Voldemort touched her arm lightly and dark ink spewed onto her barren skin. The ink moved like a snake and took on the form of the dark mark. He touched it with his wand again and the snake moved.

She had been made a Death Eater.

Something changed. Her eyes became unnaturally dark. Bellatrix released her from the ropes, but Rhya didn't run. She stood there with a grin.

"I have a job for you, Rhya."

"What is it?" She asked eagerly.

"I want you to kill Sirius Black."

She looked into the Death Eaters and saw none other than her father standing before her. He was wandless, helpless.

Voldemort put his wand in her hand. A gentle breeze blew her hair softly. She pointed it at Sirius.

"Rhya…"

She smiled. "Avada Kedavra." A green light shot out of the wand and hit her father.

Rhya jolted up in her bed. Her breathing was spasmodic and quick, and sweat covered her brow and exposed skin. She rubbed her eyes and adjusted to the dark room.

She realized it was merely a dream. She held her breath, and attempted to calm it.

A glass of water was near her bed. She reached for it, but abruptly stopped. Her hand was trembling. She rose from the bed, but stumbled into a cabinet. A drawer opened, and black smoke filled the air.

It flowed in a line and curved every which way. She watched it carefully, and remembered Sirius talking about a Boggart still roaming around the house. She laughed at her fear being smoke. The smoke rejoined where it began, and Rhya's eyes grew. It formed the dark mark.

She felt her pockets for her wand, but cursed under her breath. She had left it downstairs. She hurried to the door and reached for the knob.

"Going somewhere?" The voice made her pause. It sounded like…

She shook her head. _Just open the door and get your wand!_ She tried to move, but her hand wasn't listening.

"You can't even stand to look at yourself, can you?" The voice stated.

Rhya slowly turned, and what stood before made her gasp: herself. She didn't think Boggarts could speak.

She moved her hand as if she had a wand, "Riddikulus!"

The Boggart laughed. "How pathetic you are."

"Riddikulus!" Rhya yelled again.

More laughter. The dark mark's snake moved more out of the skull and the Rhya Boggart petted the smoke. Rhya noticed the dark mark on the Boggart's arm. "You _will _get to the point where good ole Dumbledore won't trust you anymore." She smiled. "And whatever shall you do after that?"

Rhya pointed her hand at the Boggart again." Ri-" But she collapsed to the floor with her hands pressed against her head. She had such a pounding migraine.

"You will join the Dark Lord." The Boggart continued. "You will kill and be triumphant in his name!"

The door burst opened.

"Rhya!" Sirius rushed forward and pulled Rhya to her feet. She leaned against him with one hand still on her head.

"Shall we kill him, Rhya?" The Rhya Boggart asked with a smile. She pulled out a wand, similar to the one in her dream, and pointed it at Sirius.

Rhya spun she and her father to where she would take the Killing curse hit. Only, Remus jumped between them. The Boggart morphed into the moon floating in the sky.

"Riddikulus!" He flicked his wand and the Boggart flew back in the drawer. Everyone drew in a deep breath.

"Rhya," Sirius gently shook her, "Are you all right?"

She looked up to her father with tears in her eyes. She averted to Remus who appeared equally worried.

She didn't answer. Instead, she apparated.

Sirius looked to Remus, bemused. "Where has she gone?"

"We need to contact Dumbledore immediately." Remus rushed out of the room with Sirius following closely behind.

"What was that noise?" Harry scratched his head. Ron stood next to him. Hermione and Ginny had the door opened on the other side of the hallway.

"It sounded like Rhya was talking to herself," came Ginny.

"No, no." Remus kept walking. "It was a Boggart."

"It could talk?" Harry asked.

"In some cases," Hermione prompted, "Boggarts can take on the voice of the person they are trying to scare." She gulped. "But… only those who fear themselves or what they might do."

She looked to Remus, and he nodded. "Yes, you are correct."

"And where are you two going?" Fred and George stated in unison.

"Everyone go back to bed!" Sirius barked. He and Remus sprinted down the stairs.

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Rhya stood in the valley with several mountains surrounding her, and the moon was high in the sky. There were no Muggles around, nor wizards. Only in a tanktop and a pair of jeans, she concentrated on the dummy in front of her.

"Pagos!"

A little ice shard sprouted from the ground, but barely more than a few inches. She had only left the Black House an hour prior, and felt exhausted. She wanted to sleep, but her dreams frightened her.

"Fiota!"

A little spark flew through the air, but not compared to the day she escaped the Death Eaters. She huffed from exhaustion and bent over at the waist. She breathed in and out through the fatigue.

A tingle on her arm made her glance down. In the dark light, it appeared as if a red mark was forming on her skin. It began to burn; just like when she was tortured.

She placed her other hand over it, but didn't yell from the pain. She felt another tingle on her other arm. It was in the exact spot from when she first received the red mark.

"What is-"

Pain burst all over her body, causing her to scream. All the red scars she had received were coming back, all at once. She fell to her knees and hunkered close to her legs.

She felt like she was burning alive. Even the cool night didn't extinguish the fiery marks.

Then, it just stopped.

Slowly, she raised her arms and observed them. Scars covered them again. She thought herself a fool for even considering that she could ever be completely rid of them.

"How unpleasant."

Rhya's blood ran cold. She used the dummy to help her off the ground and to lean against. She looked around until her eyes landed on him. She panted from the pain she had endured.

"How did you find me?"

"It doesn't matter." Snape spoke slowly. "Why did you leave?"

"It does matter." She huffed back.

Snape didn't answer for a few moments. "Sirius informed Dumbledore of your little Boggart situation."

Satisfied with his answer, she decided to answer his question. "I didn't mean to leave. I just… needed some fresh air."

"It's quite obvious that you were disturbed by the form the Boggart took."

"You don't have to be a professor to figure that out, sir."

Silence. The wind blew, and her hair moved slightly. "It doesn't give you permission to go against Dumbledore's say."

"Can't I have an hour or two to myself?"

"Obviously not."

"Fine." She spat. "I'll go back, just let me catch my breath."

"You just don't realize how weak you are." He stated.

"Sir, we're not in class," she held in her temper, "there's no reason to say that."

"If you're wanting to get stronger, stay close to your friends."

She studied him for a moment. "Did… you just give me advice?"

He stared for a moment, then walked away. As he past Rhya, she noticed something glimmer in his shirt pocket. The tip of it was silver metal.

She grabbed his arm, "What is that?" she pointed to the trinket.

He merely looked from his pocket to her without a word. She reached for it and pulled it out. Silver metal swirled around an orange shard that had a breathing fire within it.

She looked back up to Professor Snape. "It can't be." She stated. "This," she raised the orange shard encased in metal, "is the brother of _this_." She revealed her same necklace with a similar shard.

Snape appeared as if to argue, but didn't find the words.

"_It can locate its other brothers." Dumbledore's voice echoed. "One is locked deep within a vault at Gringotts."_

"_And the last?"_

"_On the person that found yours."_

Rhya pointed a finger at Snape. "You're him?" She whispered. "P. M."

He gripped her arm roughly and apparated.

The ground left Rhya's feet suddenly. They reached the Black House's kitchen and he released her, not by throwing her this time. He snatched the trinket and made his way to the door.

"Don't you walk away from me!"

He didn't stop.

She rushed forward and grabbed his arm. She forced him to turn around to face her. He didn't appear too pleased by the action.

"All this time?" She whispered. "The gifts?"

His eyes seemed to soften, but he didn't answer.

Her eyes glossed over with water. "Why won't you answer me?"

He tore away from her grip and apparated. She was left in the kitchen by herself. Why Snape? It wasn't his initials. She turned and kicked a chair with a curse under her breath.

"Rhya?" A weak voice came from the kitchen door. She looked up to see Mrs. Weasley with tears in her eyes. She rushed forward and gripped Rhya in a bear hug. "It's good to know you're okay." Mrs. Weasley beamed.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley." She stated hoarsely.

Mrs. Weasley pulled away with a smile. "I'll go make something. What would you like?"

"Coffee."

"Coffee? No, dear. You still need sleep."

"Please, Mrs. Weasley. I really want coffee." Mrs. Weasley nodded and walked deeper into the kitchen.

"Afraid to sleep?" Came a male voice.

"Not likely." Rhya met the man's eyes.

Fred stepped forward with his arms crossed over his chest. He smiled. "You really know how to cause people to worry."

"Everyone should have just gone back to sleep."

He nodded. "Yeah… George did. Ron did. Harry, Hermione, and Ginny did." His gaze dropped. "Sirius didn't. Remus didn't. My mum didn't."

Rhya leaned against the corner of the table. "You didn't as well. Quite foolish, honestly."

Fred looked to Rhya's arms, obviously observing the scars. She just remembered that she was wearing a tanktop. "Where did you go?"

"Just to clear my head." She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she had a jacket.

"In this weather? Without a covering?"

"Where I went wasn't that cold. Are you finished interrogating me?" She shivered. It was rather cold to her at the moment, though.

He stepped closer and slowly put his arms around her. She stiffened. "I hope hugging me is okay." She raised her arms, and slowly yet surely, she wrapped her arms around him. "See, it's not that bad."

She smiled and closed her eyes. Fred smelled nice. It made her think of the mountain near the dragon colony. The fresh air mixed with wild plants growing.

Sirius cleared his throat. Rhya's eyes flew open, and she pulled away from Fred. He looked to his daughter and appeared rather disappointed. He walked toward her slowly and pulled her into a hug. She thought she saw a tear.

Remus entered and withdrew a long breath. He leaned against the wall and watched as Sirius and Rhya let go. Mrs. Weasley came back and handed Rhya a cup with coffee in it.

"You shouldn't drink that." Came Remus. "You _need_ sleep." Rhya stared into the black drink. It was warm in her hands. Quietly, she placed it on the table.

"I… don't want to sleep."

Remus walked to her and hugged her tightly. "As your godfather, I'm asking you to try to rest."

"My dreams keep me up."

He withdrew. "How long?"

"Ever since I escaped." She breathed. He pulled out a chair for her. She glared at it for a moment, considering just leaving the room. Instead, she sat down. Remus took a seat next to her and Sirius sat across the table. Fred sat on the other side of Rhya, and Mrs. Weasley sat on the side with Sirius.

And she explained. Everything. She told them about the numerous days she was tortured. How terrified she was when she saw Greyback shifting with her tied to a chair. She shared her trip to the coffee shop and running into Lucius. She explained the first time she saw Voldemort's face, and how she wasn't afraid of him necessarily.

She went into deeper detail about the night she transformed; how truly frightened she was if she was a werewolf. Not actually the fact of being one, just by how she became one. She explained her dream and the Boggart. She even told them about what had happened to her in the valley.

Rhya had been drinking the coffee while she told her story, and no one stopped her. The drink was gone from the cup, but Rhya still felt exhausted. She didn't know how much longer she could go without sleep.

When she had finished, everyone sat on the table in silence.

Then, Remus spoke, "No wonder you haven't been sleeping well." She nodded, not sure what else to say. Fred slowly reached under the table and lightly touched her hand. She didn't blush this time, didn't even recoil. He intertwined his with hers, and strangely, she liked the butterflies this time.

Rhya noticed Remus' smile as he rose from his chair. Mrs. Weasley followed suit, and Sirius, slower than the others, did as well. They walked out of the room, leaving Fred and Rhya by themselves.

Fred didn't speak. He wasn't too sure of what to say. With slight surprise on his face, he watched as Rhya leaned against him. He switched his hand that was holding hers, and wrapped it around her shoulders. She didn't flinch or become stiff.

She accepted it.

After a few minutes without speaking, Rhya rose from the chair and looked at Fred. He smiled to her, and she gave sort of an awkward smile to him, which made his smile grow. She walked out of the kitchen to find Sirius leaning against the wall.

He had a grin.


	9. Chapter 9

The next few days seemed to pass rather quickly. Harry noticed that Rhya didn't leave the house again. Sometimes she went into her room, but mostly, she stayed down in the kitchen.

Harry, however, barely ever saw her eat. She mainly drank coffee. She was the first one in the kitchen in the morning and the last to leave at night.

Today, Fred sat next to Rhya as she read a _Magical Creatures _book. Harry glanced at the page she was on and saw a picture of a Centaur. Half-man, half-horse. He carried a bow with a quiver of arrows.

He looked away when Mrs. Weasley sat out food on the table.

Rhya made some senseless conversation today, and Harry knew she didn't like small talk. She smiled here and there, but she kept returning to the book. She only flipped through the pages about Centaurs.

Ron practically buried his face in his breakfast. Hermione ate slower and seemed rather disgusted by his actions. Harry ate and talked to his friends, but mainly observed Rhya.

She had another cup of coffee. That made three already this morning of what he's noticed. Sirius, Remus, and Tonks helped themselves to the buffet of food with laughs. Rhya only nibbled on a blueberry muffin.

He noticed her writing and underlining the book as if she was studying for O.W.L.s.

Everyone's attention went to the doorway when McGonagall stepped through the door. "Miss Farren, I need to speak with you." Rhya looked away from her book and closed it.

She rose from the chair and walked over to her professor. Before McGonagall turned to walk out, she stole a glance at Sirius, and Rhya regarded it. She followed after McGonagall through the hallway and up the stairs.

"There is something you must be informed of, Rhya."

Rhya stopped at the top of the stairs and hardened her eyes. McGonagall has never called Rhya by her first name before, unless using her full name.

"And what would that be, Minerva?" Rhya crossed her arms over her chest, showing McGonagall that she caught her mistake. McGonagall averted to the wall, not wanting to make eye contact.

She looked back to Rhya and whispered. "It's me."

Rhya uncrossed her arms and leaned in. "What?"

She watched in disbelief as McGonagall pulled a necklace out from under her robes. It was an orange shard with silver spiraling around it.

"It's me." She stated again. "I'm P. M."

There was a moment when no one spoke. Rhya could still hear everyone in the kitchen laughing and having fun.

"Why?" Rhya leaned against the railing. "After all these years, why haven't you told me before? And just _why_ in general?"

McGonagall hesitated and looked to the ground.

"Because she's your grandmother." Came Sirius.

Rhya wheeled around and saw her father a few steps lower than where she was. She looked back to her professor. McGonagall nodded.

Rhya ran her fingers though her hair with a deep sigh. "I suppose there's a story involved?"

"My daughter, Farren McGonagall, was in school with Sirius. They fell in love, and well-"

"You actually admitted that we fell in love?" Came Sirius, somewhat agitated.

She dropped her gaze again. Rhya had never seen McGonagall step down before. "What's the full story?" She asked.

"Farren and I," Sirius explained, "became friends in our fifth year. By the time our seventh year came around, I proposed. Never thought I'd want to settle down, hoesntly."

"And that's why I disapproved."

"Yes," he admitted. "But I truly fell in love with her. And well… she and I ran away from her mother after school had ended. We got married and you were born, just a few months before Harry."

"What happened to her?"

Sirius hesitated.

McGonagall answered instead, "She tried to prove your father was innocent. She came to me for help." She paused. "Only, I couldn't persuade the Council." She avoided Sirius' eyes.

"And after that?"

"Fenrir Greyback ran into her during a full moon. He had planned it accordingly, but she didn't take to the bite. Her body resisted the transformation… but since she didn't take to it, the bite killed her."

For a moment, none of the three spoke.

"Why did you choose the alias P. M.?"

"Professor McGonagall. I thought you'd attempt to figure out who I was if I used my initials."

Rhya tossed her hands in the air. "How had I been so stupid?"

"You're not stupid, Rhya." Came Sirius.

A thought dawned on Rhya. "Wait… _you_ sent me my first spellbook that had Old Magic in it?"

She nodded. "I met with Sirius in Azkaban every time your birthday came around to see what we should get you."

She pointed to Sirius, "You gave me Ralaan, and you," she pointed to Minerva, "gave me a book of how to transfigure him? Oh my… how perfect it was. It was staring me right in the face."

Sirius stepped up closer and stood taller than the two women. "Just like James and Lilly, Voldemort was looking for Farren and I. Few people knew about the marriage, close friends and family. Even if most of them disapproved of it."

"Dumbledore," came McGonagall, "met with you when you were nine to change your name. There were Death Eaters looking for Sirius Black's lost daughter, and a few got close."

"Farren was a cover up."

"Not just to Death Eaters. Also to some professors at Hogwarts. Most of them believe Sirius to still be a murderer. A few select people knew that Dumbledore had your name changed."

"Who?"

"Severus, Remus, and I."

"Just the three of you?"

"Well, yes. I am a relative, Remus is your godfather, and Dumbledore trusts Severus."

"Is there anything else I haven't been informed of?"

Sirius smiled, "Your mother was terrible at transfiguration."

Rhya laughed. "There's no way that is true." She looked to McGonagall who nodded once. "Don't tell me that you've given me special grades?"

"Oh heavens, no! I grade a student based on their talent in the classroom. You caught on quickly to Transfiguration."

Sirius spoke, "Not to mention one of the youngest to change into an Animangus."

McGonagall's lip tightened. "Yes. When Dumbledore told me, I didn't know whether to be ecstatic or to scold you. Lucky for you, it was the former."

Rhya smiled, but it faltered. A thought bothered her. "But… why did Snape have the pendant?"

"Dumbledore got it out of the Gringotts and let him use it to watch over you."

"So, how did you come by yours then?"

"An ancestor of ours made them and passed them down the generations. I made Dumbledore have one to give to you for you to use underage magic."

Rhya studied the person before her, who happened to be her grandmother. "Well, uh, thanks."

McGonagall cleared her throat, "I will be off then." Without a hug, she apparated into nothingness.


	10. Chapter 10

_**My grave will never be filled. It's either kill or be killed.**_

**Hollywood Undead**

* * *

Being back at school made Rhya feel even more tired. More on the fact that she couldn't have coffee during their meals.

Returning to classes wasn't rough or difficult. History of Magic was boring, yet simple. Ancient Runes, Rhya thought she might have accidently slept through the lesson, but did good on the pop quiz. She made absolutely sure she was awake for Potions. She knew she fell asleep in Umbridge's class, making her receive detention.

Rhya told Umbridge to ask her any question from the book, and if she got it right, she would be able to get out of detention, plus leave class early. If she got it wrong, however, she would take an extra detention. Umbridge was happy to agree.

Umbridge went into a long, unnecessary description of the potion Veratiserum; all to ask a question of ways for it not to work. She told Rhya to give her all three answers.

"That's not fair!" Hermione intervened. "That's a question for Potions, not Defense Against the Dark Arts."

Rhya didn't break her icy glare up at Umbridge.

"One, obviously, the antidote. Rare and hard to come by. Two, Occlumency. Harder to achieve, but possible. And third, a person training to make himself resistant to it all together."

Umbridge appeared rather appalled. Rhya picked up her bag.

"And how," Umbridge continued, "Would an teenager learn such complicated resistances."

Rhya stood up with a smirk, "Sorry, Professor. Our deal was only one question." Umbridge opened her mouth to object, but closed it.

Rhya turned to leave, and paused at the sight of Professor Snape standing by the door. She recovered herself and continued. She past by him, and he followed.

"Interesting," came his soft voice, "How you seemed to know of all the resistances."

"Well, you know, it kind of just came to me."

"You must be doing well in Divination, since I was actually there to dismiss you from class."

"Divination?" She scoffed. "Professor McGonagall got me out of that my third year, so I could take another class. I doubt Umbridge would have let me leave anyway even if you politely asked."

"Quite the clever one, aren't you?"

She stopped and faced him. He paused beside her. "Was that… another compliment?"

He seemed to have become distracted with something down the hallway. "Dumbledore has a message for you."

"What is it?"

"He has given permission for you to take Potter and his friends to see your very special mission, and he will meet you there. He also wanted to remind you of the Centaurs."

"I'm… working on it."

Snape raised one eyebrow. "Was that a lie?"

"No… just, after everything the Ministry has done to them just _this year_-"

He stopped her by raising his hand. "Spare me the difficulties. I don't care."

Rhya scowled. "Sorry, I just thought you might care since you are in this war just as much as I am."

The look Snape gave her made her think she was going to get double or triple detention and have to clean out his cupboards. Except, no words came from him.

She cleared her throat. "If that's all, I'll be on my way then." She waited for his reply. After several seconds of silence, she turned and walked down the hallway.

She heard light footsteps following her. "Is there something else?" She asked.

"Need to make sure you don't fall over from exhaustion."

"I'm fine."

"You fell asleep in two of your classes today."

"How did-?"

"Minerva just may be able to write you a note."

"For what?" She didn't look at him.

"For Madam Pomfrey to give you sleeping draught."

"I thought we agreed for you to stop pretending like you cared." She replied coldly.

"If I recall," he spoke slowly, "I would if you stopped pretending you are all right."

She stopped. "Fine. I'm not doing all right. Are you happy now?"

"I'm never happy."

Rhya paused and bit her lip. She returned back to walking down the hallway. "I'll go see Professor McGonagall and ask about this sleeping potion. After that, I'm heading to the library."

"You better retire for the day and get rest," he warned. "If I catch your eyes drifting in my class again, there will be… consequences."

"Sleep can wait." She gripped her bag. "We are at war, in case you haven't noticed, or has the Ministry already messed with your head, Professor."

A firm grip on her arm caused her to cease in her steps. She glared at Snape. She knew she crossed the line, and frankly, she didn't care.

"The full moon is this week." He stated softly, yet dangerously. "To be sure you are not infected, Minerva and I will watch you on Thursday night."

She stared up into his eyes and felt rather small. He had a look about him that made her not want to trust him. Well, she rarely trusted anyone. She was the first to look away.

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Rhya followed Harry, Ron, and Hermione down to Hagrid's hut. She did fine with the stairs in the castle, but not sleeping was taking its toll on her. She learned how to brew a simple potion to keep her awake for an hour at a time for her classes, but getting there and leaving were difficult.

Hermione noticed Rhya struggling down the steep hill and walked close beside her. They finally made it all the way down, and most of the class was already present. Rhya went ahead and grabbed the vial from her bag and drunk the whole thing.

She instantly felt the effects and her eyes widened from feeling awake. She glanced over to the Slytherins and noticed Draco staring at her. She quickly looked away.

Hagrid came out of his garden with a giant grin on his face. Rhya at least knew this lesson would be interesting. "Let's go over 'ere, then." He ushered the class closer to the Dark Forest, which wasn't frightening in the least bit when in daylight.

Rhya's feet stopped when she saw the creature. Her mouth parted as she looked up to it. Harry had the same reaction.

"Beautiful, ain't they?" Came Hagrid.

"What is?" Draco asked.

"Thestrals."

"Hagrid," Hermione said gently, "there's nothing there."

"There's definitely something there." Harry stated.

Thestrals stood taller than a regular sized horse and wings similar to bats hung close to their body. They didn't have fur, and looked to be skin and bones.

"Thestrals can only be seen by people who have seen death." Hagrid stated.

_Then how can I see them?_ Rhya thought. She glanced down to her wand and remembered Ollivander stating the new wand had thestral tail hair.

Then she remembered.

The Death Eater. She escaped the room and more than likely burned one of them and pierced the other one's heart with ice. Sadness covered her face. Not only had she seen death, but she was the one who actually committed the act. She didn't care for Death Eaters, especially after what they did to her, but she didn't necessarily want them dead. She would rather they rot in Azkaban.

She jolted when something nudged against her back. She turned quickly and observed that the creature had sharp teeth. He bent his head down toward her and seemed to stare into her eyes.

"He likes ya!" Hargid beamed.

Rhya wasn't so sure. "Um, I don't have any food." The thestral didn't leave. It made a little noise that made all the students near Rhya spread out.

"He wants ya to pet 'im."

_Of course he does_…

She brought her hand up to his bare skin. She touched him gently and found him to be softer than she thought. The thestral closed his eyes. He seemed to be enjoying it.

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With the start of the new term came another secret meeting for the true Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Rhya was happy about going, but she hated being surrounded by so many people. She normally had this inner turmoil every meeting, but ended up going because of Hermione.

She, Hermione, and Ginny made their way through the hallway. They were allowed to be out at this hour, but Rhya knew how Umbridge was.

When they turned around a corner, Umbridge wasn't who they ran into.

It was Snape.

The three girls stopped as Professor Snape looked down to them. "Evening." He stated.

"Evening, Professor." Came Rhya slowly. She couldn't tell if Hermione and Ginny were too afraid to speak or not.

"Us professors have been given strict orders," he paused and looked to each of them, "to inform of suspicious student activity."

Rhya didn't have anything to say in response; neither did Hermione nor Ginny.

His eyes landed back on Rhya.

"Oh dear me," he said in an unconcerned voice as he looked down the hall the three just came. "I appear to be distracted." He walked away.

Ginny and Hermione watched him in disbelief. When Rhya glanced down the hall, there was nothing that would actually draw Snape's attention.

The three made it to the Room of Requirement easily after the incident with Snape, but most of the members had already shown up. Everyone's attention jolted to the three, but they all stared at Rhya. Harry pushed his way through the people and reached the girls.

"I'm really sorry, Rhya…"

Her voice shook. "About what?"

"Tell us about Pure Magic?" Came a male voice. Rhya glanced in the direction it came from, but had no idea who asked.

"What happened to you?" Asked a female voice. "You were gone for over a month."

Murmurs broke out among the young wizards.

"You didn't tell them, did you?" She whispered to Harry.

"No." He answered.

"Then how do they know?"

"There's been a rumor going around." Neville spoke and broke from the crowd.

_Draco_, Rhya thought. He had been in the coffee shop when Lucius confronted her.

"Can you teach us how to use it?" Neville continued. "You know, so we can protect ourselves."

She hesitated. They were all looking at her, making her feel uncomfortable. "It's not something to easily teach…"

"But you _do_ know how to do it." Colin beamed in the front.

She looked down to the ground, and realized her mistake.

"She's not denying it!" Shouted a young man.

"But I can't teach you. Harry has a well thought out lesson for all of us to do today." She looked to him for help. He simply grinned as he shook his head. Rhya gave him a look of desperation, but he merely smiled.

"I've been teaching this for a while, and I need a break." He stated.

"We just got back from Christmas Break." She argued.

He forced a yawn, "Ah, but I'm oh so tired."

Her look quickly turned into an icy stare penetrating through his soul, but he didn't back down.

"The rumor is that you were taken by a pack of werewolves." Came a young girl.

"I heard vampires!" An eager boy jumped to the front of the crowd. "Did they drink your blood?"

Looking into the numerous people in the crowd, she released a long sigh. Her attention fell back on Harry, who still had a dumb grin on his face. "Fine. I'll teach them what I know."

Easier said than done; she knew.

She walked forward and the crowd split. She flicked her wand, making a chalkboard skid across the floor. "I will start by saying this: I won't answer any questions about my whereabouts for that month and a half. It's done; it's over."

She paused and waited to see if anyone was going to object. No one spoke. They all appeared rather eager. She cleared her throat, "Right, then. I will go ahead and say that Old Magic is rather difficult to learn. Even with practice, not everyone will be able to use it."

"How do we know if we can?" Came Neville.

She hesitated. This was going to be difficult. "What makes Old Magic unique is that _it is_ the one who chooses if you can use it or not."

More than half the people raised their hands. Rhya felt the blood rush to her face. "Hermione." She pointed knowing that she would ask the best question.

"H-how does it choose us?"

"Pure Magic, in a sense, is its own being." She flicked her wand and a drawing of a wizard, dragon, and elf appeared on the board. "Just like the three examples you see on the board, Pure Magic basically has a conscious."

More hands…

"Colin."

"How does… magic have a conscious? I mean, we can use it, so that should make it like a spell, right?"

"Let's look at it this way." She flicked her wand again and the three drawings disappeared. Now, a dragon was flying through the air with a human on its back. "Look at Old Magic as a living, tangible thing. You and the Pure Magic work together; it's not merely just _you_ fighting an opponent. You have to look at Pure Magic as a reliable friend; you have to respect him."

"Him?" A Ravenclaw sixth year asked. He smirked, "Magic is for our benefit. Saying that we have to… look at this thing as a friend is ridiculous."

"In saying that, you won't be able to use Pure Magic." She replied.

"This is absolutely ridiculous."

"Is it?" She smiled. "Attack me."

The crowd murmured as the man looked at her with doubt. "You're joking."

"Just do it." A few people urged him out of the crowd and he slowly walked to the other side of the room. He turned and observed her carefully. He positioned himself for a dual.

"Stupefy!"

"Pagos!" Ice burst out of the ground with an ear-piercing ting of his spell connecting with hers.

"Fiota!" Fire surrounded her being and burst toward the target.

"Protego!"

His spell had no effect. He coward back with his arms protecting his face from the flames, yet the flames didn't burn him. He stood up straight and observed the fire circling around his being.

Confusion covered his face as he looked up to her. She smirked and addressed the class.

"Pure Magic is essentially part of you, if you are able to use it. It senses your thoughts and emotions better than any relative or best friend. I had no desire for this young man to die, and the Magic felt it."

A younger girl shot her hand in the air. "Yes?" Rhya asked to her.

"What if Death Eaters learned how to do that?"

Rhya straightened and the fire ceased into nothingness. "There is only one book left in existence that explains how to use Pure Magic. It's in a safe place."

"But… doesn't that make you a target? Assuming you know where it is."

Rhya hesitated, and _everyone_ caught it. She glanced to Hermione and Harry, then to Fred and George. All four had sad faces.

She shifted her gaze back to the young girl. "Yes, it could."

"What if… they could get to it?"

"Even if they learned every detail of the Forgotten Arts, they wouldn't be able to manipulate it."

"Why?" Asked Colin.

She hesitated. "Pure Magic understands when it's being manipulated as a tool for revenge or for killing, and since it has a conscious, it will refuse to be controlled by your will. Yes, you can kill with it," she paused as she looked around the room, "…but it only helps you for protection of your own life."

It was incredibly quiet and still in the room. Most of the people looked down to the ground, while others looked at Rhya with concern.

The younger girl spoke again, "Where you captured by Death Eaters?"

Rhya stared at her, considering if she was Ravenclaw. "As I said before, we are not discussing what happened to me."

She turned to the board and flicked her wand. Five words appeared on the board, foreign to all the kids in the room.

"The Forgotten Arts date several centuries back. The language derives from Ancient Greek. First, you must learn these five words.

She flicked her wand again and spoke as the words appeared on the board.

_Aeras_. "Air."

_Nero. "_Water."

_Gi._ "Earth."

_Fiota. _"Fire."

_Pagos._ "Ice."

"Learn these words. They will save your life one day."


	11. Chapter 11

_**You can come, and save me; and try to chase the crazy right out of my head.**_

**Jason Walker**

* * *

Thursday came quicker than Rhya expected, especially with what little sleep she'd been getting. Her classes passed by slowly that day, but she managed… somehow. She took extra amounts of the simple potion she brewed, but the effects were becoming less successful.

At some point in time, a person simply needs to sleep.

Rhya hadn't gone to see McGonagall. She knew Snape would find out, and she would probably get an earful of how irresponsible she had been. At the moment, though, she didn't care.

She looked across the room of the girl's dormitory. Everyone was asleep and would stay asleep later than usual since they had no classes today. It was roughly two in the morning. She put her dragon journal on the dresser and lied down. She rubbed her forehead, since she had a migraine again.

The bed was comforting, welcoming. She closed her eyes, and before she knew it, she fell into a deep sleep.

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Something was nudging her arm. Her eyes opened and she saw a large wolf gnawing on her. Everything was dark around her and red blood slipped out of the opening.

She tried to speak, tried to use a spell. Nothing came from her. Only the sound of the wolf echoed.

_Focus_, she told herself.

_Pagos!_

The ice went straight through the wolf. There was a scream.

"Rhya?" Came a small voice. Another nudge.

Her eyes flew open as she jolted up in her bed. Hermione had her hand on Rhya's arm. A white-blue-ish crystal stuck out of the floor."No," Rhya whispered. Sweat trickled down her spine and brow. She swished her hand, and the ice crystal broke itself. Rhya jolted from the bed and gripped Hermione, so she wouldn't fall over. A piece of the crystal was still stuck in Hermione, and Rhya feared Hermione would lose too much blood if it were taken out.

"What did you do?" Came Parvati Patil. She looked as if she had been up for a while.

"Just help me!" Rhya yelled at her. She came to Hermione's side, and together, they helped Hermione down the stairs. The three made it to McGonagall's room and Rhya almost beat down the door.

She sounded grouchy. They heard her voice from beyond the door, "Do you even realize what," the door opened, and her voice became softer, "time it is?" She stared at Hermione's, then averted to Rhya.

She flicked her wand and a stretcher floated over to them. "Miss Patil, you may return to bed."

"But-" She argued, yet McGonagall's glare made her stop. She glanced to Rhya, and made her way back to the room. McGonagall and Rhya gently placed Hermione on the stretcher. She was still conscious and losing quite a bit of blood.

Without speaking, they rushed to the hospital wing. Rhya wasn't sure what time it was, but it was still dark in the halls. "Lumos!" McGonagall stated and her wand lit the hallways. They turned around a corner, and by all the luck in the world, there was Professor Snape.

He glanced to the stretcher, but his gaze went straight to Rhya. It was a piercing regard, and it made her feel rather small. She looked down at the ground as she followed McGonagall. He stopped whatever he was doing and shadowed in step with them.

With every step, Rhya could feel Snape's constant glare into the back of her head. Her body felt as if it was shrinking.

They made it to the hospital wing and McGonagall rushed over to Pomfrey's office. "Poppy! It's an emergency."

Snape didn't shadow McGonagall. He hovered near Rhya. She hated it. She wanted space, but more importantly, she didn't even want Snape in this room. Madam Pomfrey rushed out of the room and ushered Hermione over to a bed. She and McGonagall hoisted Hermione onto the bed with almost no effort at all.

"Dear me," came Madam Pomfrey.

"What do you make of it?" McGonagall asked.

Pomfrey observed closer to the wound. "It missed all vital organs, which is tricky, but she will be just fine. Let her stay here until noon and she'll be walking around as if it never happened." She offered a smile and disappeared into her office to prepare a potion.

Snape leaned closer. His voice came as a whisper, only for her ears. "You didn't tell her, did you?"

Rhya wanted to move away from him, but her legs wouldn't budge. She merely stared at Hermione. Crimson blood seeped out of the opening where the crystal wasn't covering. The crystal was no longer white, but it had a red tint.

"Hopefully, this is a wake up call, miss Farren." He straightened up and her gaze fell to the ground. She despised the fact of him being right, and she hated herself for not thinking everything through.

McGonagall made her way over to Rhya. "What happened?"

Rhya opened her mouth, but Snape spoke first. "Isn't it obvious?" Rhya gritted her teeth. "Your granddaughter is still in her robes for classes, meaning she hasn't slept-"

"Not true!" She interjected, anger in her voice.

"What, maybe a few hours of sleep over the course of the week?" Her glare was icy, and she wouldn't look away. Her not answering gave away her answer, though. "I can assume that she at least didn't plan to fall asleep for what little hours she received."

"Miss Farren?" McGonagall looked to Rhya. Rhya was so angry that tears formed in her eyes. Snape was right, and she hated the fact. She looked away from McGonagall.

"Furthermore," Snape carried on, "I know for a fact that she hasn't been sleeping well ever since her capture."

"Miss Farren." No answer. "Rhya!"

"What?" She stated irritably.

"Is what Severus says true?"

Her voice was weak, "Yes."

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought I'd be fine."

"Well, does Miss Granger look fine to you?"

"No."

"Do you understand what your actions have caused?"

"Yes."

Madam Pomfrey exited her office, and silence fell on the two Professors and Rhya. She straightened up and observed as Pomfrey gave Hermione something to drink. She fell back asleep. Pomfrey pulled out the crystal, and Rhya saw the wound already healing.

"Hm. It would seem she was attacked by Old Magic." Pomfrey stated aloud, mostly to herself. "Healing magic and Pure Magic practically work hand in hand." She made her way back to her office. "But that's ridiculous," she mumbled, "no one can do Old Magic anymore."

"For your actions, I think a detention is in order."

Rhya didn't object.

"You will serve detention with Severus."

"What? Why can't it be with you?"

"That is my final say, Rhya." Her mouth closed. She didn't know how she felt about her professor using her first name. She averted back to Snape, and a slight grin was on his face.

Rhya sighed. "What day?"

"Friday night _and_ Saturday night." She opened her mouth, then closed it. "Does it seem unfair, miss Farren?"

"No… sir."

He smirked. "Minerva, it seems to be the only way."

McGonagall had sad eyes. "Ask her first."

"Already have, but she thinks she can handle everything herself."

Rhya eyed them carefully. McGonagall nodded to Snape. He drew his wand and flicked it at Rhya. There wasn't any pain. She didn't fly backwards. A red light sprouted form the tip of the wand and it wrapped around Rhya. Everything became blurry. Snape and McGonagall meshed into the shadows, and everything fell darker. Rhya collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

0000000000000000000

Rhya slowly opened her eyes. She was back in the girls' dormitory. Hermione sat on Rhya's bed, looking down with a hope filled face. She looked to the window, and the sun was setting.

Slowly, she sat up in bed. "You're all right?" She asked to Hermione.

Hermione offered a smile. "Yeah. The medicine did better than Madam Pomfrey expected. I was out within three hours."

"That's good." Came Rhya weakly. What had Snape done to her?

"It seemed unfair, you know?"

"What did?"

"Snape giving you double detention." Rhya leaned against the wall. "I mean, you're having bad dreams, so-"

"Hermione, I deserve it."

"Don't say that! I can't even imagine what you went through with the Death Eaters. Professor Snape should, at least somehow, understand what you went through, but he's just- so frustrating!"

Rhya smiled.

"Why were you near me this morning?"

"You were… mumbling, and it sounded dreadful. I was trying to wake you. I just wanted to help."

"Next time, just leave me to suffer in my dreams. They are only dreams, after all."

Hermione's smile slowly disappeared. "Snape knocked you out so you would drink the sleeping draught. I was surprised Professor McGonagall let him to do it."

"I guess the time for being polite professors is over. I probably wouldn't have taken it last night if they gave me a choice."

"But why?"

"If I take them now, then I'll become reliant on them."

"_That's_ why you won't take it? Your independence?"

Rhya looked away. It was the pathetic truth. "Yeah."

"Rhya, know that you are admirable for that quality, but also know that it is your weakness. You can barely stay awake for any of your classes now. I let you take those stupid potions in hopes that you might finally sleep that night. You made a lame excuse to the other girls about getting a head start for your O.W.L.s. How long will they believe that lie? Because I can see right through you."

She studied Hermione. Until now, she hadn't realized how close of friends they had become. "You're right. Sorry about earlier."

"Forget about it." She smiled. "The wound is gone. And it's about time for you to go meet with the professors."

"Yeah, I guess it is."

"Rhya, if… things don't work out the way you hope tonight, please just know that I'm still your friend. And just like the Marauders, I will learn how to become an animangus, and-"

"Hermione," Rhya laughed, "That's breaking the law. I don't think you're up for that."

"Just watch me!" She prompted. Rhya's smile grew, since she believed Hermione's words. She needed to learn how to open up and talk to Hermione. Without warning, Hermione wrapped her arms around Rhya's neck. Rhya looked around the dorm, but no one else was in here. Rhya's arms found their way around Hermione.

Rhya pulled away and descended the stairs. She wore a dark pair of jeans and a dark hoodie. She went to McGonagall's door and knocked a few times, not as loud as earlier this morning. Professor McGonagall opened it.

"I'm not going tonight."

Rhya's mouth parted. "What do you mean?"

"Albus requested my help. Severus will be accompanying you tonight."

She sighed and mumbled, "This should count as detention."

The look McGonagall gave her made Rhya believe she had been overheard. Her grandmother, however, didn't say anything about her comment. "Professor Snape will meet with you by the Whomping Willow."

Without a goodbye, McGonagall shut the door.

Rhya checked her back pant's pocket for her wand. Still there. She took a deep, deep breath and made her way toward the entrance to Hogwarts.

She passed by the doors and traveled to the Whomping willow. Once there, she paused and looked for Snape. She didn't see him. The Willow twisted gently in the breeze, seeming unaware of Rhya's presence.

She heard a few twigs snap behind her, and assumed it was snape. She didn't look behind her to know for sure, though. He raised his wand, but didn't say anything. A blue light left the end of the wand and hit the tree.

"Let's go." He mumbled. She followed after him as they went into the secret entrance. His wand lit up the dark entrance. The walk to the Shack was uneventful and quiet.

The Shrieking Shack was obviously deserted and dust covered everything. She remembered why she hated this place. After five breaths, she sneezed. It wasn't a regular sneeze, though. She sneezed five times in a row, and they were equivalent to the sound of a little mouse.

"Maybe Minerva should have come," he paused as he glanced at Rhya, "To catch whatever mouse happens to be in here."

"Why didn't she come?"

"It is none of your concern."

"She's my grandmother, so maybe it is of my concern."

"No, it's not." He turned away from her and went into a room.

She sneezed again, seven little ones this time.

"This mouse infestation is rather unpleasant."

"The jabbering professor isn't quite welcome, either." An icy glare met her gaze. He didn't appear too pleased, but neither was she. "Why did you knock me out earlier? That goes against school rules, you know."

"Gryffindors believe the rules don't apply to them."

She crossed her arms. "Apparently for you as well… professor."

"You wouldn't take it otherwise."

"Oh, so you have my best interest in mind? Splendid. I'll remember that during my detentions." She sneezed again. "Please, can we just apparate outside of the Shrieking Shack? This dust is killing me."

"Not bothering me. You'll just have to suffer."

She gritted her teeth. Without his say so, she apparated to the Shack's front door. Snape followed suit, and didn't comment on her leaving. She sat down in the grass and thought back to the first night she entered the Shack. That was two years ago, when her father escaped from Azkaban.

She saw Lupin transform against his will that night. She remembered him crying out in agony as claws formed and a snout grew on his face. She also remembered Professor Snape exiting the Whomping Willow and protecting them from a fully transformed werewolf.

She glanced over at him. He didn't have his wand when he jumped in front of them back then. He was defenseless against Remus' form. She looked away and stared up at the cloud filled sky.

"Why had you protected us back then?" She looked back over to him. "With Professor Lupin, sir."

"It is a Professor's job to see to the safety of students."

"You didn't even have a wand, sir."

"Are you saying you would rather I have let him kill the four of you?"

"No… just never mind." She looked away and stared at the trees across the barren field.

"If he had, my classes would be quieter."

She didn't comment. The night breeze blew her bangs gently. It was getting closer to see if she would transform. This time, though, she wasn't as afraid. If she were a werewolf, she would take the potion that Remus takes.

Her mind drifted slowly to Greyback, and then to Voldemort. The fact that he kept her alive simply to make her change to his side bothered her. She had dismissed the idea, but _what if_ Dumbledore needed another person as a double agent?

"Professor, how do you handle being close to Voldemort? Like, does he ever use Legillimency on you?"

"I do believe that is not for you to know."

"Does Voldemort plan to capture me again?" Her voice was small.

"If I knew of such a plan, I would inform Albus."

She eyed him carefully. "And have you?"

There was a pause. He didn't say anything, which caused Rhya's heart to beat incredibly fast. That would mean Death Eaters would come after her again.

"What… if he made me a Death Eater? What would he do with me then?"

"The Dark Lord," he paused, "would use you on the inside. And possibly, he wouldn't have to learn the Forgotten Arts if he can have you perform them for him. I warn you, miss Farren, don't go sticking your feet in waters that will swallow you whole."

"Two people on the inside means possibly better information."

"You're young." He caught her eyes. His voice sounded distant, "Dumbledore shouldn't have brought you in this far."

"But I am in this deep, Professor. I'm in this war." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Would it be… beneficial? Let Voldemort think I'm helping him, you know?"

Another pause. "This is the end of this discussion."

"But-"

"I. Said. Enough." His voice was dangerous, and Rhya dropped the subject. She shifted her gaze away from his piercing glare. The clouds began to part, allowing moonlight into the field. She stood off the ground and dusted off her pants.

"I guess it's about time." She walked forward.

Snape didn't move. He studied her as she walked away into the moonlight. After everything she has been through, Snape thought her strong. And even now, after seeing Voldemort's eyes of hate, she would place herself in danger if it were to help Dumbledore in this war.

_She should have been in Slytherin_, he thought. She was cunning and focused. She knew how to use her intelligence to achieve her goals. He thought back to when she talked herself out of Dolores' class.

She stood in the moon's light with her arms crossed over her chest, her head pointed down slightly. Her attention was to the grass; she was thinking. Snape considered she was in deep thought about becoming a Death Eater. He wished she wouldn't go to Dumbledore about this issue, but he knew she would. Her mind was probably set.

She probably wants this war over as soon as possible. Fewer tragedies that way.

Nothing happened. She wasn't showing signs of transforming; however, _something_ was happening. Her scars seemed to be disappearing. He stood off the ground and got closer.

Rhya looked at him, bemused. Her professor had a strange look on his face. "What?" She asked.

"Your scars."

She glanced to her arms, and her scars were gone again. Her mouth parted. It didn't make sense…

"So… I'm not a werewolf?"

"It would appear not."

"But… there's no cure. How is this possible?"

He looked down to her. From Nagini's bite to a werewolf bite? He had no idea.


	12. Chapter 12

Everything seemed fine. Rhya hadn't transformed that night, and she was thankful; however, the thought of becoming a Death Eater ate at her mind. She could learn of their strategies and inform Dumbledore before anything ever happened. Of course, she was positive that Snape would as well.

They reached the entrance to the castle.

"Stop it." Snape spoke without looking back at her.

"What?"

"Thinking."

"Does it annoy you?" She smirked.

"It's infuriating." He turned on a dime and looked down at her. The firelight from the torches lit up the left side of his face; the right side remained in the darkness. "Don't do anything absolutely stupid, Farren."

"I may need clarification on that, professor."

His voice came softly, "Do not… rush into this."

He looked sincere. Words didn't form in her head. She merely nodded in return.

"You won't think about it over the night."

She gritted her teeth.

"I'm giving you the sleeping draught." He straightened back up and went through the doors. "You can talk with Dumbledore tomorrow."

"My whole Thursday has been wasted." She kicked a rock.

"Whose fault is that?"

"Death Eaters."

She followed after him through the dark halls. He moved his wand, and light spread through the hall. Even if he hadn't used the spell, the dark halls never bothered her. Almost every weekend she would sneak out of the castle, travel through the Dark Forest- faster that way- and end up in Hogsemeade to apparate to the dragon's colony. With the cloak of night and in her animangus form, she normally got through the forest without any encounters.

With the light from his wand, an eerie feeling swarmed around her, though. She was used to her eyes adjusting to the lack of light, but now, shadows were waiting to swallow her up.

A door opened. It was McGonagall's classroom; only, McGonagall didn't stare with a wide grin at Rhya and Snape. It was Umbridge. McGonagall came beside Umbridge and looked at the two with surprise.

"Out at night, are we Ms. Farren?"

"Well-"

"Miss Farren is lacking in my potions class." Snape interjected smoothly. "A few lessons after class are helping her keep up for her O.W.L.s."

"Is that so? How is she lacking?"

"Her brain doesn't seem to have the capacity for such an intricate level of potion making." She glared at him, but quickly erased the expression.

"Well," Umbridge prompted, "She certainly answered a N.E.W.T. level question about a potion in my class the other day. I'm sure you were present for that, Severus."

"Actually, professor," Rhya lied. "Someone gave me the answers."

Her expression of triumph faltered. "How? You looked at me the whole time."

"A person in class wrote the answer on a piece of paper. It floated behind your head, so I could read it."

"I see." She walked between Rhya and Snape, and gripped Rhya's arm. "I think a trip to the Headmaster is in store."

McGonagall appeared as if she would interject, but she sunk back into her room and closed the door.

"Really, professor; that's unnecessary."

"Lying to me in my own class and fooling me, Miss Farren. I, who represents the Ministry, will not tolerate this."

Rhya stopped and pulled out of Umbridge's grasp. "Why not just give me detention with your stupid quill? Does this really need to be taken to the Headmaster? I mean, I'm sure he's busy-"

"Enough, Miss Farren." Came Snape.

Her cold eyes landed on him.

Umbridge dragged Rhya down the hall. Strangely, Rhya would prefer being pulled by Snape, and that's saying something. Snape, who spends time close to Voldemort, is nowhere as vile as this woman near her.

Umbridge stated the password and made Rhya go first up the stairs of disappointment. She saw Dumbledore sitting at his desk examining parchment.

"Ah, Rhya." He smiled.

Umbridge then entered the room, and Rhya saw Dumbledore's smile falter slightly. "Dolores, what a lovely surprise."

And then Snape.

The smile disappeared.

"Albus, I would like you to know that I caught Miss Farren out past curfew, and on top of that, I found that she didn't meet academic excellence within my class."

"Please, Professor," Rhya pleaded, "I was ca-"

"Hem, hem."

Rhya stopped dead cold. Her eyes landed icily on Umbridge. "This is a discussion between adults, dear."

Rhya was fifteen! She was part of the Order of the Pheonix. She had made negotiations with the dragon kin, and Umbridge wanted to declare that this conversation wasn't for her?

"Miss Farren _cheated_ in my class earlier this week. In doing so, she not only hurts her own education, but she also insults me within my own classroom. Which, in turn, insults the Ministry."

"I did not-"

"Hem, hem."

Rhya immediately turned on a dime and walked over to the table.

"Where are you going?"

"Over here to where I won't interrupt the discussion." She answered bitterly.

"Dolores-"

"She has been a nuisance ever since I came to this school, Albus. She disrupted my classes-" _Hold it in, Rhya_- "ditched school for over a month-" _Hold your tongue- _"and-"

"If I may, Albus." Came Snape. Rhya looked up at his voice, unconvinced that she heard him speak. She just realized that she had clenched her fist. She released the tension.

Dumbledore held up his hand. "Severus, Rhya," he offered a smile. "When I said to not tell anyone, I didn't mean to keep it from other teachers."

"But, sir-" Rhya stepped forward, but stopped. If Umbridge knew about even the slightest possibility of Rhya being a werewolf, she would be tossed in Azkaban for being in the same room.

"Severus, I was certain you would have informed Dolores and the Ministry why we've been asking for extra amounts of Sleeping Draught."Rhya straightened up at Dumbledore's words with wide eyes. Did he just lie in front of the Ministry?

Snape's voice was slow, but came almost like silk. "We didn't mean to lie to a Ministry Official, only," he side glanced at Rhya with dark eyes and annoyance thick on his tongue, "Miss Farren was embarrassed about her insomnia to want anyone else knowing about it."

Rhya looked from Snape to Dumbledore with shock. She then glanced to Umbridge.

"And what about my class, Miss Farren?"

Rhya averted her eyes to the floor. "I knew the answer. I know it's wrong to lie- I just didn't want anyone else knowing."

Umbridge's face turned a few shades darker than her pink sweater. "Yes, it was wrong for you to keep this from me, and then to lie to my face, Severus." Her face contorted into a pout. "I believe it's time to tell me where Rhya was during that month."

"I will tell you," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "as long as you promise to keep an open mind."

There was a pause. Umbridge carefully studied everyone's eyes, then she replied, "Fine, Albus."

Rhya wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans.

"She was captured by Death Eaters." He said it. Anger flashed in Rhya's face, but she quickly dispersed it. She needed to keep a calm head.

"Death Eaters?" Umbridge repeated. "Next you'll say that You-Know-Who was there as well." A light laugh escaped her. "Where's your proof?"

_Don't let _her_ get in my head_… The thought of Dumbledore giving Umbridge permission to circle through Rhya's memories made her shudder. She looked up and noticed that Snape was watching her.

"I'm afraid you will merely have to take my word for it." Dumbledore replied coolly.

Rhya released a breath.

Umbridge face pouted again. She wanted something more solid than mere words, but she knew that wouldn't happen. With a twirl, she parted between Rhya and Snape and descended the stairs.

Once the door at the bottom of the stairs closed, Dumbledore rose from his desk. "These night meetings are taking a toll on me. I think I'd prefer we stop seeing each other like this." He sounded weak and tired.

"Sorry, Professor." Rhya looked down.

"You should be getting to your dormitory." Snape commented.

Without another glance or even another word, Rhya descended the stairs. The door at the bottom closed again.

"Is she all right?"

"She didn't turn."

Dumbledore smiled. "That's good. Good."

"Albus, she will more than likely ask… something of you tomorrow." Snape spoke dryly. "She discussed becoming a Death Eater in order to retrieve more information on the Dark Lord."

Snape wasn't sure what he expected, but a calm Dumbledore wasn't quite it. He thought Dumbledore would be furious. An underage witch within the Dark Lord's grasp, almost at all times. Snape expected some sort of emotion, but Dumbledore merely stood there looking at his goblet.

"Albus, did you-"

"I heard, Severus." He looked at his trusted friend. "Just why didn't I think of it sooner?"

Snape parted his mouth and gaped. "You are… okay with this?"

He nodded. "Voldemort won't kill her. He probably wants to use her Magic for something, and since she is the only one who can do Pure Magic, he won't just throw away her life."

"But, what if you're wrong? What if he chooses to kill her later down the road?"

"Then you must protect her, Severus."

He scoffed. "Me against the Dark Lord and all his Death Eaters?"

"Use wordplay to keep her alive… at least for as long as you can."

"So you'll give her over to the enemy knowing that he will kill her? Knowing that he will torture her for information again? And you're okay with that?"

"If she chooses to, then yes."

Snape looked away. This wasn't what he expected. He thought Dumbledore cared for Miss Farren's protection. He has given his life to protect Potter, but now Farren?

"It's not right, Albus. She's young and reckless. She's not thinking straight!"

"Have you," Dumbledore spoke softly, "Grown to care for her?"

"Don't be ridiculous," he seethed.

"Then why are you against it?"

"She's an underage witch. She may be intelligent and cunning, but her luck will run out."

"As long as we have the Centaurs on our side before her luck diminishes, then at least we'll survive the war."

Snape didn't answer right away. Dumbledore was merely using her to gain the upper hand in this war? Snape knew Dumbledore was doing it to him, but Snape made the mistake of joining with the Dark Lord, and he accepted this; however, he was uneasy about using an underage witch.

"She's just a child." He finally hissed.

"Yes," he paused, "But she's in this war as much as we are I'm afraid. She knew what she was giving herself to when she joined the Order."

"I don't see anyone else offering themselves as a Death Eater."

The older man heaved a great sigh. "If she asks my opinion, I will not decline, Severus. She wants to end this war."

"Don't you think I do as well? Being a spy will take its toll on her mind. The Dark Lord _will_ enter hers. He will search for any lie she might hide. She will put us all at risk."

"How is her Occlumency?"

"Lacking. Ever since she and the Dark Lord's last encounter, her emotions have been," he looked away, "Unstable."

"Would it be fixed with more lessons?"

"I'm teaching Potter and Farren privately now?"

He nodded. "Not at the same time, though. Keep them separated." He released another sigh. "Maybe I should give her a necklace, just to make sure Voldemort can't enter her mind."

"That trinket is hard for most wizards to handle. You'll just give it to her knowing full well what it'll do to her?"

"If she only wears it when in Voldemort's presence, then it will be easier for her to bear."

"Still, it will effect her no matter what."

"That it will."

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Rhya passed by the fat lady in the portrait and warmth from the lit fire of the common room met her. She was surprised people were still awake. She stopped and looked back. After all that trouble, she didn't get the Sleeping Draught. Honestly, she was looking forward to the dreamless sleep.

She rolled her eyes. She would be fine.

She treaded forward to find Hermione, Fred, and George sitting at a table with their faces in one book. All three looked up with tired expressions, but they each offered a sleepy smile.

Rhya's attention landed on Hermione who had a quill in her hand with parchment under it.

Rhya released a breath, "You guys can stop trying. I didn't turn." She made her way to the stairs, but Fred and George blocked her.

"What great news." Came Fred.

"I agree." Came George.

"But… trying to become an animangus-"

"Is rather enjoyable-"

"And difficult-"

"But it'll be worth it."

"Guys, there really isn't a need for becoming an animangus."

The twins glance to each other. "To be out of the hands of the Ministry is worth it."

"And against the law!"

"And what of you?" Came George with a smirk.

"Unregistered animangus?" Fred shared the same smirk.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. "Well…" She avoided their eyes. She first learned to be an animangus to leave the Orphanage without anyone knowing. It became almost redundant once she lived on the road with her father.

"We're-"

"Waiting."

They both smiled.

She looked up at them and through their smiles, she saw desire. Was it desire to make a difference?

She looked to Hermione. "You, too?"

She nodded. "We want to help the Order, too, y'know?"

Rhya pressed her hands to her temples. Another headache. She sat in the armchair closest to the fire. "You guys do realize that it won't be easy? Trying to become an animangus without a proper teacher is _very_ dangerous."

"But we have you." Came Fred.

She scoffed, "Please, I'm no teacher."

"Fred, Hermione, should we show her?" The three cast glances of excitement and returned to Rhya.

"Show me what? Do _not_ tell me you guys can already transform." She whined. If they could transform already, she would be ecstatic, but bothered at the same time. It took her two years to finally change freely into a fox. Yeah, it was shorter than her father, but still. Blood, sweat, and tears went in to learning to be an animangus.

"Watch." All three said in unison.

The three picked up their wands and pointed it to their hands. They each whispered different words, but Rhya knew those words well. Surprise flushed through her as a breathing fire sprouted within George's hand, an ice crystal floated in Fred's hand, and a tiny tornado materialized in Hermione's hand.

She breathed. "You can do Pure Magic?"

"Because we had a good teacher." Came Hermione.

"You guys picked up on it so fast."

The elements in their hands disappeared. The three smiled.


	13. Chapter 13

_**And brick by brick, we built it so thick; that it blacked out the sky and all the sunlight.**_

** Thousand Foot Krutch**

* * *

Friday.

Rhya rolled over in bed with a groan. All the other girls had already gotten out of bed and went down for breakfast. Except Hermione.

"You all right?" She asked.

"Just remembered I have detention with Snape."

"That's still unfair of them."

"What's unfair is class with Umbridge."

Hermione groaned this time. They had D.A.D.A. around three in the afternoon. Rhya wasn't sure what she would do until her detention after class. _It would be good to talk to the Centaurs_, she thought. She has kept putting it off waiting for a more opportune time to talk to them.

"So… are you actually showing us the dragons tomorrow?"

Rhya sat up in bed and met Hermione's eyes. "Only if you guys want to see them, I guess."

"What are they like?"

"That's a difficult question." She smiled. "Um, they are very proud creatures. Insulting them, silmiar to a Hippogriff, would end badly."

"What was it like when you first spoke to them?"

"Terrifying." Rhya admitted with a smile. "Those creatures could have scorched me in seconds if they felt like it."

"Has anyone else in the Order seen them? Are we the first?"

She shook her head. "Dumbledore and a few others wanted to speak to them. I had to do the talking since they couldn't hear the dragon's tongue."

"So… only you can hear them?"

"I can't be the only one."

Hermione looked down deep in thought. Rhya knew Hermione would be making another trip to the library.

00000000000000000

Rhya made it her goal to not say anything in Umbridge's class. Umbridge walked in, wearing pink as usual. She smiled sweetly to the entire room, but her eyes lingered on Rhya. Instead of simply looking away, Rhya held her eyes on the professor.

"Afternoon, class."

"Afternoon, Professor Umbridge." Everyone mumbled.

"Ms. Farren." Rhya became stiff. "I couldn't hear you very well. Say it for me again, louder please."

Rhya's eyes glanced around the class. "Afternoon, Professor Umbridge." She repeated.

"Yes, yes, thank you, dear child." Rhya gripped the edge of the desk. _Child_?

Umbridge waved her wand at the board and a drawing of a centaur and werewolf appeared. Rhya glanced to Hermione, and they both seemed to share the same thoughts. It was a Half-breed lecture.

Rhya leaned back in her chair and mentally prepared herself to hold her tongue. Her god-father was a werewolf and the nicest man she has ever encountered. Centaurs are nice, as long as you don't insult their intelligence.

"Half-breeds, as I'm sure you all know," she added with a smile, "are of the lesser beings. Being one _will_ ruin your career and future." Rhya's knuckles turned white.

"Ms. Farren, is there a problem?"

Rhya landed cold eyes on Umbridge and removed her hands from the desk. "No, Professor."

"Good. What do you all know of centaurs?" N o one had their hand raised. They hadn't studied over the creatures in their classes yet.

"Centaurs are half horse, half human, obviously. They are territorial, but they need to realize that their lands belong to the Ministry foremost."

A hand rose. Hermione's.

"Yes, Ms. Granger?"

"But… what if they lived their first?"

Umbridge smiled. "Then we should push them aside a little, and take back what is ours. For the sake of the Ministry." Umbridge landed on Rhya, who had a contorted face. "Something wrong Ms. Farren?"

_Be gentle with your words,_ Rhya told herself. "I don't think it's right for you to call them lesser beings. They have a conscience and intellect. To call them of a lesser status is insulting… and inhumane."

Umbridge merely smiled. "You seem to have been misled."

"No, I haven't." Rhya snapped back. "I don't actually need someone higher up to tell me how to think, Professor."

The smile was still on Umbridge's face. "Centaurs should know their place. As do other Half-breeds."

"When you say that," Rhya began, "you disapprove of Firenze and Professor Flitwick."

The smile faltered into a thin line. "Hogwarts Professors should all come from complete human ancestries."

"How can you say that?"

"To question me, Ms. Farren, is to question the Ministry, and therefore, Fudge himself."

Rhya didn't reply. She looked down, furious. She didn't need to get into any more trouble than what she was already in.

"No answer?" Her smile returned. Umbridge made a light laugh and turned back to the blackboard. Rhya's anger got the better of her.

"Why don't you tell the Minister for me," Rhya's voice came as a whisper, "that he needs to think more about the magical community, and less about protecting his title."

The room was quiet. Everyone looked to Rhya with doubt. She just said that… to Umbridge.

"Detention." Umbridge stated without the sweet tone.

Rhya merely smiled. It was worth it.

During the rest of class, only Umbridge spoke. No one interrupted her, nor did she call on anyone. The bell rang, and she dismissed the class without her normal farewell.

The students put quills and parchment in their packs and darted toward the door. Rhya remained in her seat. Once everyone was gone, Umbridge came to Rhya's side. Rhya took out a sheet of fresh paper and waited to be handed the "special" quill of blood.

"No, no. That won't be needed."

Rhya glared at Umbridge. "Then what will you have me do?"

"Follow me."

Rhya did as she was told and entered Umbridge's office. Pink and cats covered everything. Rhya felt as though she may vomit. Umbridge waved her wand, and Rhya felt a light breeze.

Umbridge smiled to Rhya. "I want you to tell me exactly where you were during that month and a half, Ms. Farren."

"You're not deaf, Professor. Dumbledore told you what happened."

"With Death Eaters pairing back up, why, that would mean Who-Know-Who is back, which I know is a lie, Ms. Farren. This is the last time I will ask nicely."

Rhya crossed her arms over her chest and glared back. "If you don't believe Dumbledore, then you won't believe me."

Umbridge's smile faded. She cleared her throat. "There is an enchantment on these walls right now. No one outside this room will hear you."

_Why would they need to hear me?_

Umbridge stepped closer, wand in hand.

Rhya stepped back. "What are you doing?!"

"Punishment is in order. Liars need to be punished, so the truth can come out."

Rhya rushed to the door and tugged- it didn't budge.

"Crucio!"

Rhya's body dropped to the floor and convulsed. She gritted her teeth. _Don't cry out. Don't give her that pleasure._ Another powerful surge coursed through her veins, causing her mouth to part and cry out. She shut it tight with gritted teeth.

Then, the pain stopped.

"Tell me where you were."

"Dumbledore told you!"

"Crucio!"

Rhya didn't have the same determination as when the Death Eaters tortured her. At that time, she was able to stand with the curse still going through her. Here, though, this wasn't life or death. Sooner or later, Rhya knew Umbridge would stop.

Then, it all rushed back to her.

Voldemort loomed over her with such a vile smile. Another red mark appeared on her arm. He let out a hideous laugh.

"Stop!" Rhya yelled out.

Ice shot out of the ground and sliced directly through Umbridge's wand, separating it in two pieces.

Rhya got to her feet and pulled at the door again. It opened, and she slammed it shut behind her. She grabbed her pack and exited the classroom.

The halls were quiet. Rhya figured most students were outside or in the common room. She didn't know where to go. She didn't want to talk to the Centaurs right now. She didn't want to talk to people. She might go out in the snow.

She looked down. Her hands trembled.

"Ms. Farren." Came a low voice. She stopped dead and slightly turned. It was Professor Snape. "Do you have anymore classes for the day?"

She shook her head.

"Then we'll start detention now."

She followed after him. If Umbridge came looking for her, maybe Snape could keep her away. Rhya hoped, anyway.

They made their way down the stairs and into the dungeons. Snape entered the room first, and she closed the door after her.

"If you want to pursue your Death Eater idea," he grumbled, "then your Occlumency needs to be up to par."

"That's my detention?"

He nodded. "It will consist of more than the mere two days we have planned."

"Okay."

"Prepare yourself."

Sweat trickled down her brow. She wasn't ready for this again.

"Legilimens!"

_A twelve-year-old girl stood outside. The moon reflected in her eyes. With a flick of her wand, a foxtail grew from behind her. She glanced at it with dissatisfaction. _

_The same girl walked on a street, no tail. Cars flew by, and bigger kids pushed her into the street. She barely missed an oncoming car._

_She sat in a room with several beds. She was alone, reading. A child enters the room, slightly older than Rhya in the vision, and slaps the book out of her hands._

Snape pulled out of her memories. Without a chair, she fell to her knees in gasps. It wasn't necessarily the memories, but having someone rip through another's memories was draining.

"You did poorly."

Rhya placed her palm to her head. Another migraine. "It's been awhile." She rose steadily off the ground and sat in one of the chairs.

"Are you ready?"

Her head pounded. "Give me a minute."

"The Dark Lord," he snapped, "will not give you all the time you need." She looked down to her other hand. It still trembled.

He readied his wand. _Get rid of your emotions._ "Legilimens!"

_Rhya was in the Room of Requirement. She produced a full Patronos Charm._

_She sat near the lake with Firenze. He smiled to her, and she laughed._

_A thestral nudged against her._

_Umbridge towered over her with her wand pointed at Rhya. Rhya jerked in pain. Ice shot out of the ground and broke the wand in half._

Snape left her mind.

Rhya heaved a giant breath.

"When did she do that?" Snape's voice was low, dangerous.

Rhya met his eyes. They were unnaturally dark, and not because of the low lighting in the dungeon.

"It was recent then?"

She looked away.

Snape straightened up slowly. "Have you told Dumbledore?" she sunk lower in the chair, too timid to meet his eyes. "Why haven't you informed him?" He reached for her and gripped her wrist. He pulled her out of the chair as he went toward the door. "He must know."

"Professor," she stopped, forcing him to as well. Her eyes had a glossy layer as she gazed up to him. "What good will it do?"

"The Headmaster should know." He countered.

She jerked away from him and took a few steps back. "For what? What proof is there, but my word?

"She can't get away with performing an unforgivable curse on a student."

"But, Professor… what can he even do? Going against her means going against the Ministry."

"He should not be kept ignorant of such things."

"He can't fire her. It'll just encourage her for something else. It's not worth it."

"Miss Farren, do you even understand what it is she did to you? She used a spell not even the Ministry has permission to do."

"Of course I understand!" She spat back, eyes icy. "I was trapped for a month with that curse forced on me. _You're _the one who doesn't understand."

His soft eyes turned hard. There was an eerie silence.

"I-I didn't mean that," she whispered.

"Didn't you now?"

"I was angry. I'm sorry." She looked away and sunk deeper into the shadows.

"That anger is preventing your Occlumency. Get over those emotions and stand on your own two feet for once."

"_Stand on my_- you do realize I'm only fifteen? Being tortured isn't something that's normal even for an adult. I think I'm doing just fine."

"Is that what you call it? These nightmares of yours are _fine_?"

"That's not what I-"

"Enough!" He yelled at her. The candlelight fluttered from the disturbance. She removed her eyes from him.

"I think I should go." She grabbed her bag and past by him. He gripped her wrist, not rough this time. It was enough to stop her.

"Tell me the next time she does that to you."

"It seemed rather obvious that I could handle myself." She pulled away and placed her hand on the handle. "Professor… I admitted my anger and my nightmares, things that tell you that I'm not doing okay… Well, I just thought, when are you going to stop pretending you care?" She slightly turned toward him.

He leaned against a table. "Has it not occurred to you that maybe I'm not pretending?"

Her eyes lingered.

She pushed the door open and left.

000000000000000

Rhya sat in the common room. Students came and gone, until Harry, Ron, and Hermione were left. Hermione's eyes kept fluttering over to Rhya.

"What happened?" Hermione finally asked. Harry and Ron stopped aimlessly scanning through their books.

"She punished me, obviously."

"Her methods are medieval," came Ron.

"Yeah," Rhya said distantly.

Hermione searched Rhya's hand. It was vacant. "What did she do to you?"

"She gave me reasons to stay quiet in class. That's all." She fiddled with her hands. Her left hand still trembled, and she mentally cursed herself for letting the curse affect her like this.

The Fat Lady's portrait flew open. Rhya jumped from the sound. Her mouth parted when she saw McGonagall. "Ms. Farren, come with me."

Rhya didn't budge. Her muscles tensed. "It's almost curfew?"

"This is a matter of urgency. Come."

Rhya glanced over to the trio who had uncertainty on their faces. With a sigh, Rhya rose from the chair. She followed after her grandmother through the hallways. They didn't say anything to each other. Actually, they haven't spoken at all since Rhya found they were related.

"Lemon drop." McGonagall spoke to the door. It granted them entrance. Dumbledore sat behind his desk at the top of the stairs. He appeared more refreshed than the night previous.

"We're all here then." He spoke.

Snape stood in the corner. This wasn't going to be good…

"Rhya," Dumbledore spoke delicately, "why didn't you tell me about Dolores?"

She cleared her throat, but her eyes stilled on the carpet. "What's the word of a student to a teacher?"

"You didn't think I'd believe you?"

"It's not that, Professor. Just, what could have been done?"

"I understand, but still, it is best for me to know of these situations."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

No one spoke now. Rhya didn't want to look at any of the three. She cleared her throat again, "Is that all? Can I go?"

"And what of your plans for tomorrow?"

Rhya hesitated. "I'm taking them to see the dragons. I'm assuming I'm still allowed."

"Yes, yes. That's fine. Any word with the Centaurs?"

"I'm talking with them tomorrow on my way to Hogsmeade."

"You're not taking them through the Dark Forest, are you?" McGonagall asked behind her.

She shook her head. "They'll take the Weeping Willow route. I'll meet them at the Shrieking Shack."

Dumbledore nodded. "Severus will accompany you through the Forest and at the Dragons' Colony."

"Is that really necessary?"

"For now, yes."

She hesitated. "C-can't someone else do it?"

Snape crossed his arms. Rhya merely glared up at him.

"I'm afraid not." Came Dumbledore.

_Of course not_, Rhya thought bitterly. "Is that all?" She stood out of the chair. Snape put his hand on her shoulder and forced her back in the seat. He threw a book on Dumbledore's desk in front of Rhya.

"Read it."

The book opened with a flick of his wand. She eased forward and looked down at the page. It was a diary. _July 7, 1493._

"Read it aloud." Came his irritated voice.

"_The dragons have been rather out of place these passed few months. The prince asked me to go and speak with them. Easier said than done, I know. Tomorrow, I will set out on my journey to speak with these creatures of magic."_

She stopped. That was the entry for the seventh.

"Read the eleventh."

She flipped to the eleventh of July.

"_The dragons have proved quite skilled for my low abilities. I'm honored my king entrusted me with such a task, only… I'm barely even a man. I am unmarried and a few years shy of twenty… A dragon attacked me, and my magic won't heal it. I fear these next few days will be my last."_

"July thirteenth."

She flipped another page.

"_The dragon that inflicted me made another visit. We were unable to speak to each other, but he did not attack me, nor I him. He stood outside my camp observing me. Then, such a wonderful thing happened. He licked my wound. My wound disappeared impressively. My senses heightened, but also- I could hear the dragon speak!"_

She glanced over to Snape, who glared at her. "Go on."

She cleared her throat. "_The dragon told me that no one has been blessed with dragon's healing. He told when damage is inflicted on a person by a dragon, the dragon makes a choice of life or death for that person. When given willingly-"_

She stopped abruptly. Her body tensed.

"Something wrong?" Asked Dumbledore.

"_W-When given willingly… a part of the dragon mixes with the human. Other than hearing dragons speak, the person develops an immunity to certain spells and potions."_

She stared into Snape's face.

"Has this happened to you, Ms. Farren?"

She averted to the floor and nodded.

Dumbledore leaned in. "Was it when I sent you to them?"

"It happened during my fourth year."

"When Charlie brought the dragons?"

She nodded.

"This could be an explanation for her immunity to Nagini's poison and the werewolf bite."

"What about the Veratiserum?"

"Her own powers could help her against it, but he also spoke of heightened senses. Since she is allergic to an ingredient, it could help her not be caught unaware."

She closed the book and looked at the name on the front. _Merlin_.


End file.
